The Unknown
by all4jesus84
Summary: Things on the island begin to grow frightening for Violet as rescue is close, but Violet and the rest of the islanders began to fear for their lives as the people on the freighter are not who they say they are. Fourth book in Violet series. Please read. :
1. Flashes

**Chapter One**: **Flashes**

_"Come on Rose, shoot it! I haven't got all day!" Violet taunted as she shimmied from side to side in the wide net. She kept her eyes open and her peripheral clear as she stared down her opponent, who was quickly kicking the soccer ball up field. Violet kept her focus, God it was hard to see anything in this soccer field at night. With the school's low budget, Violet wasn't surprised they couldn't afford field lights. It was no wonder most of their games were played in the afternoons._

_"You really think you're going to be able to stop me, don't you Deville?" Violet's friend, Rose shouted as she performed fancy footwork with the soccer ball, closing in on Violet. Violet only smiled, never losing her concentration, as the ball rapidly made its way closer and closer._

_And then Violet couldn't hear Rose's taunting anymore. All she could see was the ball. All she could think about was stopping it. This was her passion, her focus. _

_The ball came spiraling toward her at a rapid speed. Violet threw her entire body weight up toward the ball that would have gone right over her head. Reaching her arms up as high as they would go, she bounced up off her legs and felt the soccer ball _collide_ with her hands. Then she collapsed on the ground, hugging the ball to her chest. She exhaled. She didn't even realize she'd been holding her breath that whole time._

_As she came back to reality, she heard Rose's grumbling as Violet stood up, trying to rub the grass stains off her knees._

_"Damn, Vi, I'm starting to wonder if I'm ever gonna be able to get one past you. Coach is right. Keep this up and you'll end up player of the year." Rose said as she yanked the ball away from Violet. Violet shrugged, grabbing her water bottle nearby._

_"I don't play to get recognized." She said quietly, chugging back her water. Rose shook her head._

_"Could've fooled me. Everyone's seen you play. You should go to college on an athletic scholarship." She added. Violet shook her head._

_"Nah, I've been wanting to go to med school my whole life. That's where I want to be." She replied, collapsing to the ground, leaning her back up against the net's goalpost. Rose joined her._

_"Think we should call it a night?" Rose asked. Violet looked up at the sky. The stars had been out for hours now. How long _had_ they been playing anyway? She didn't even know what time it was. Violet wanted to keep playing, but Rose just wasn't as obsessed as Violet was. Violet had to understand that. Everybody played for different reasons. Violet doubted she'd ever find another human being who understood just what soccer did for her._

_"I guess we should. Your mom might freak if I keep you out too late." Violet said, removing her cleats and shoving them in her gym bag. Rose laughed._

_"She wouldn't exactly _freak_, but she sets a curfew for a reason. Besides, it is a school night. Don't you still have homework to do?" She asked. Violet shrugged. Rose had to giggle._

_"Honestly Vi, if you put as much energy into schoolwork as you did into soccer, you'd be on the top of the Honors List too." She paused. "I thought you wanted to go to med school."_

_"I do!" Violet snapped._

_"I think you need to up your grades for that. Why do you want med school so bad, Vi? You've never told me. For someone who's so good at soccer, why would you just ignore that, and want to go to med school?" Rose asked._

_Violet paused, ignoring Rose's question as she removed her shinguards slowly. She thought of Katie._

_"Come to think about it, Violet, you don't tell me _anything._ I know you've been through some stuff, and I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but-"_

_"You're right, Rose, I _don't _want to talk about it. So can we just leave it alone?" Violet snapped. Rose stared at her with hurt eyes, and Violet immediately felt guilty._

_"Look, sorry, okay? I have my reasons for wanting to go to med school, and I have my reasons for keeping things to myself." Violet finally stood. "Let's get out of here."_

_Rose only lived a few blocks over from where Violet lived, but Violet's house came first. Rose waved goodbye, and said she'd see her tomorrow. Violet dreaded thinking about the next day. She knew there would be no way in hell she'd have her biology assignment done before her third period class tomorrow. She wondered how Mr. Hooper would react._

_Violet finally checked her watch, and her stomach sank. Rose's curfew was much later than Violet's, and now Violet was past it. Violet had argued against her curfew so many times, but it was a lost cause. After everything that had happened, maybe it was just paranoia, but Violet wasn't allowed out past ten._

_Violet noticed all the lights in the house were off. _Maybe she's in bed._ She hoped to herself, as she quietly slid her key into the doorway. She opened the door slowly, hoping it wouldn't creak, like it normally did. Silence. Violet breathed out slowly as she closed the door behind her, locking it up. Violet listened, and heard nothing. She smiled to herself in sweet satisfaction._

_She carefully took the stairs up, still hearing nothing. If she could just get to her bedroom without waking anybody up, she'd be home free. But she had to pass _her_ room to get there. And that was when she heard the voice break through the silence._

_"Do you know what time it is?" She heard that familiar voice ask. Violet rolled her eyes. God, how many times had she been caught coming in past curfew? But everytime, the question was the same. Of course Violet knew what time it was. Why else would she have been tiptoeing?Violet stopped, waiting for the lecture, waiting for the disappointment, whatever. She just stared ahead as she heard the footsteps coming out of her bedroom, and standing behind her. Violet could just picture what she looked like, standing there. Arms crossed, thin lips, waiting for some kind of explanation. _

_"I set a curfew at ten for a reason, Violet. That means I expect you back home at ten, not closer to eleven!" _

_Violet rolled her eyes, never turning around._

_"I was with Rose, okay? I was safe, nothing was going to happen. We were just at the school." She replied._

_"I don't care if you were having dinner with the President. I ask you to be home for ten. These rules are set for a reason, Violet."_

_Violet laughed to herself a little. This just wouldn't get old. _

_She turned around to face her. Yes, her arms were crossed, just like she imagined, and she did not look happy, especially with Violet's sarcastic smile spread across her face._

_"You know you aren't my mother, right?" She asked, raising an eyebrow._

_Violet knew that was the wrong chord to strike. She had played that hand so many times, even before they left._

_The woman stepped forward and looked straight at Violet._

_"This isn't like being on the island anymore, Violet." Kate said with a certain authority in her voice. "Those times are over, Violet! 17 years old or not, now that I have legal custody of you, I expect you to listen."_

* * *

"Hello?" Jack said into the phone.

"Hello, who is this?" The other voice asked again. Violet stared at Jack's face, it was full of hope, and tears were in his eyes, and his body was trembling. Violet shook her head as she watched in terrifying anticipation.

"My name is Jack Shepherd." He swallowed, as he paused. "I'm one of the survivors of Oceanic flight 815. Can you get a fix on our location?"

A pause.

"Hell yeah we can, you sit tight, we'll be right there." The guy on the other end said eagerly.

An uproar of cheers and tears passed through the survivors, as they hugged, and cried together, and praised God, and clapped. In the midst of the happiness around her, Violet fell to her knees with tears in her eyes. They had been found. Rescue was coming. There truly was no going back now.

Sun was beside her in seconds, hand on her back, as Violet rocked back and forth on the spot, shaking her head. Of course, Sun had no idea what had gotten her so upset. This couldn't be happening. This could _not_ be happening.

Violet looked up and saw that Kate was gone. Where had she gone? Violet felt like she couldn't breath. Was this an anxiety attack? She didn't know, and she didn't really care either. Those guys on Naomi's boat were coming. They were here to rescue them. In less than an hour, she would be on a boat on her way back to the real world, where no family of hers existed. In less than 24 hours, she would be ripped away from all of these people who had become her close friends these past few months and taken to social services. Who _knew_ what would happen then? Would she even see these people again?

Violet suddenly felt a rough hand on her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin as she looked up to see Jack looking at her.

"You okay?" He asked. She just stared at him. She couldn't find any words to say. What _could_ she honestly say anyway? That she was fine? Why lie? She wasn't fine, and anybody who knew anything about her would know this.

"Violet, maybe you should drink something, you look a little pale." Jack said, handing her a half emptied bottle of water. Violet just stared at it, concentrating on breathing through her nostrils. He finally gave up, left the water bottle on the ground with her and walked away to join the survivors who were a little more excited about their news. Nobody paid any attention to the girl who was freaking out by herself.

Violet glanced over at Ben, still tied to the tree. He was the only other one who appeared to be freaking out about the whole thing. Although for obvious different reasons. Ben kept going on about how those people on the boat were dangerous. Violet didn't care. She just didn't want to leave this island. She knew the only other person on this entire island who didn't want to leave had just chucked a machete into Naomi's back. That didn't help Violet feel any better. She stopped thinking about Locke, and tried to concentrate on what was happening, here and now.

Violet tried to picture in her mind what it would be like when their rescuers showed up. She imagined a large white boat pulling up near their beach, and sending men wearing navy blue uniforms in life rafts to begin shuttling the survivors to the boat.

She imagined Kate and Jack having to collectively force her into the raft, because now that this was really happening, she doubted she'd be able to go willingly.

She imagined someone on the boat with the plane's manifest. She imagined him checking off the living, crossing out the dead. She imagined him asking her who would be back home waiting for her.

She couldn't imagine what she would say.

Violet felt herself struggle to catch her breath. Could this actually be real? She couldn't be sure anymore.


	2. Back to Reality

**Chapter Two: Back to Reality**

What seemed like ages later, she heard a familiar voice that pulled her back to reality. She looked up to see Kate approaching Jack, shaking her head. Violet didn't move. She honestly felt that if she stood up, she would pass out. But she could hear parts of their conversation.

"Jack, Locke's gone. I tried to track him but he just disappeared. He must have covered his tracks, but he's gone." Kate explained, keeping her voice down. No doubt she was trying to keep the people calm. Nobody wanted to hear about the man who had just killed Naomi in cold blood.

Jack looked toward the treeline and sighed heavily.

"If he comes back here, Kate. If he ever shows his face around me again," Jack shook his head, and looked at her seriously, "I'll kill him!"

Violet shuddered to herself. Was he serious? Had Jack ever killed a man? Would he seriously kill John Locke if he came back, or was he just saying that because he was mad?

Violet wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Hey." Kate's voice broke the silence. Violet managed to look up and see Kate kneeling beside her. Kate didn't even have to ask. She knew what Violet was thinking, and feeling. Still, it was strangely comforting to Violet that she was there. Somehow, that was enough. It had to be. It was the only thing Violet could hold on to.

"Are you drinking lots of water?" Kate asked quietly a few moments later. Violet looked up with a nod. It was a lie. The truth was she hadn't had a single sip of water since they arrived at the radio tower. After realizing the signal had been unjammed, after watching Locke kill Naomi, after hearing Jack talk to the people on the freighter, the people that would take them back to the real world, the last thing Violet was thinkingn about was keeping herself hydrated.

Kate seemed to buy it, at least.

Jack arrived and knelt down next to the two, but he focused his attention on Kate.

"Kate, I think our best bet is to get these people back down to the beach. It's a clear, open area of space. It will be easier for the freighter guys to find us there." Jack explained. Kate nodded, agreeing. Violet just concentrated on keeping herself from fainting.

"Jack!" That familiar voice sounded panicked, as the three of them turned their attention to Ben, who was still tied to the tree. "You can still change your mind! You can radio the men on those boat and tell them not to come here! We can hide, I have places we can hide, because I'm telling you, Jack. If the people from that boat get on this island, _nobody _will be left alive!"

Violet tried to read Jack's expression, but he just shook his head and turned away from Ben, who tried again, but was silenced by a blow to the head from Danielle's rifle.

Violet sighed, reflecting on what Ben had just said. What if he was right? What if this wasn't one of his elaborate lies? What if the people on that freighter really _were_ bad news? What if they really were going to kill everyone on this island? Should they really just wait around like sitting ducks?

Violet's attention was suddenly drawn to a conversation she could overhear from Sun and Claire. Jack and Kate had already taken off, to discuss plans on getting the people back down to the beach. Violet couldn't help but listen in on Sun and Claire's conversation.

"I can't believe I'm going to have my baby in a hospital!" Sun exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. Claire scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in, why don't you?" She mocked, letting Aaron cling to her finger tightly.

"I just can't believe we've been on this island for 3 months!" Sun said, inclining her head to take in the island's surroundings. Claire nodded.

"Yeah, I was just thinking about it the other day. Do you realize it'll be Christmas in 4 days?" She asked. Violet shuddered at the thought. The last thing she wanted to think about was Christmas. Christmas had always been hard enough without her mom, but now Katie was gone. What would happen if they got off this island _today?_ There would be reminders of Christmas _everywhere!_ Violet felt like she was going to be sick.

"Just think, if it hadn't been for Charlie, we never would have been able to call the people on that boat." Sun declared. Claire sighed.

"Yeah, I just wish I knew he was alright." She replied. Violet sighed to herself. They still hadn't heard anything from Hurley over the walkie Jack took from Ben. Hurley had told them he would contact them the second Charlie returned. So far, they had heard nothing. Violet was beginning to lose hope. If Charlie died down in that underwater station, Violet knew things on this island would never be the same again.

* * *

_2006...part 1_

_Violet never did understand why Kate always turned on the morning news. Nothing interesting ever happened, just the same old depressing stories that put Violet into an even more bad mood. It's not like Kate really watched it anyway. She was always busy with something, now that they had the baby._

_That morning was different._

_Violet sat at the kitchen island, poking at her cereal, as the baby sat beside her in his high chair, crying about something. _Probably hates the food. What else is new?_ She thought, wondering how babies could be so damned picky._

_Violet was paying attention to the news, but not really. She was more interested in creating a tsunami in her cereal bowl. She heard the news in the background, but she could also hear Kate yelling into the telephone. But when Violet heard the newscaster report a red camero leading police officers on a high speed chase across Los Angeles, Violet's interest was immediately peaked. _

_She looked up to the television and recognized the car immediately. Her heart skipped a beat. _No, no! This can't be happening._ She thought to herself. _

_Splat! Violet turned her head quickly and saw the baby laughing hysterically at the mess he had just made. Mushy baby cereal was all over the floor, and all over the baby. Violet could have screamed out loud. She turned around and saw that Kate was still arguing into the phone. Violet growled to herself as she fell to the ground, cleaning up the mess he made. She tried to keep her eyes on the television set, as she watched the cops close in on the camero, and order the man out of the car. Violet watched with tears in her eyes as the police arrested Hurley._

_The newscaster moved on to another story, and Violet cursed under her breath as the smell of the baby food got to her. As she finished cleaning up, she began to overhear parts of Kate's conversation on the telephone._

_"Duncan, please, you're not hearing me. Money isn't an issue! I needed to hire the best damn attorney I could get and your name was what was given to me. So don't tell me you can't help me!" She yelled, but she had her hand cupped over the phone. Violet shook her head. If she thought she could keep Violet from hearing, she was crazy. Why the hell did Kate need an attorney? Is that who she'd been on the phone with all this time? She must have been on the phone for a week straight now._

_Violet tried to think. Why would Kate need a lawyer? She knew Kate was a fugitive, on the run from the law before their plane crashed on the island. Maybe it had something to do with that._

_Trying to wrap her mind around that made no sense either. Violet still didn't know what Kate had done to become a wanted fugitive. She had never asked. It never mattered to Violet. Things were different now. Kate was not a criminal._

_Violet pretended not to hear Kate's conversation with the lawyer, and she turned her mind back to Hurley. She shook her head. Hurley was the most gentle human being she had ever met. He was quiet, compassionate, friendly and understanding. Even during the times she had seen him after they got off the island, he was still his fun, lovable self. _What happened?_ She couldn't make sense of it. Why would Hurley be speeding down the street, running away from the cops?_

_Before she could answer her own question, Kate finally hung up the phone. She ran into the kitchen, and grabbed her purse, ignoring the television, Violet, and the baby._

_"Kate, did you see what was on the news? Hurley-"_

_"Not now, Violet." Kate grabbed her keys from the counter and shoved them in her purse. "I've got to go out for a bit, so I want you to watch the baby, okay?" She didn't wait for an answer, she just took off out the door, even forgetting to lock it behind her. _

_Violet walked quietly to the front door, locking it gently. She moved aside the front curtain of the window and watched Kate drive out of the front driveway, and down the street. Violet sighed, shaking her head. First Kate, now Hurley. What was going on?_


	3. Separating

**Chapter Three: Separating**

"Hey Jack? You there?" Violet turned her head quickly to see Jack staring at Kate with wide eyes. The voice was coming from the satellite phone. Violet stood up and walked over. Maybe they weren't coming after all! She had to hope!

"Jack, are you there? Pick up man." The voice echoed. Jack finally picked up the sat phone and brought it up to his mouth.

"Yeah I'm here, what's up?" Jack asked.

"I need to talk to Naomi, can you put her on buddy?" The voice asked. Violet's heart leapt into her throat. Naomi was dead. What the hell were they going to do?

That was when they all instinctively turned to look at Naomi's dead body,

but there was no body.

Violet felt her stomach jump into her chest as she unconsciously grabbed Kate's arm, letting out a small gasp. Kate ignored her as she stared at Jack with wide eyes. Jack looked just as shocked as Violet felt. What were they going to tell this guy on the other end of the phone?

"Hello? Jack, you there?" Jack jumped as he stared at the phone. Kate looked at him, looking for some kind of explanation, but Jack was as clueless as the rest of them. He stared at the phone, quickly formulating a plan. Violet swallowed the lump in her throat, as she tried to run through all the possibilities. Naomi was _dead_...wasn't she? Locke chucked a knife in her back. She had gone down. How could her body just...disappear? _Unless someone stole it. Or worse...what if she wasn't...dead..._ Violet felt sick.

"Yeah, I'm here, what's up?" Jack asked, finally talking into the phone. Violet was surprised at how calm he sounded. For someone who had just seen a dead body disappear, you'd never be able to tell by his steady voice.

Violet realized Kate had taken off. She must have gone to see if she could find out what happened to Naomi. Violet focused on Jack, who ignored her.

"Yeah Jack, I need to talk to Naomi, can you put her on? If I want to get a fix on your location, I need Naomi to change a setting on the sat phone. It'll only take a minute, and then we'll come and get you." The voice said. Jack swallowed hard, and blurted out the first lie that came to his mind.

"Yeah no problem, she just went into the woods to grab some firewood. I'll just get her to call you back when she gets back, alright?" He said. There was silence on the other end, and Violet immediately wondered if the people on the freighter were buying Jack's story. What would happen if they found out one of the Oceanic survivors killed one of their people? Would they decide against rescuing them? _Oh please God..._

"Alright, no problem Jack, just tell her to buzz us the second she gets back, okay?" The voice asked. Jack agreed and hung up the phone. He breathed out slowly, scrubbing the beads of sweat off his forehead. Violet felt herself breathe a sigh of relief. She looked up and saw Kate running up toward the two of them.

"Where the hell is she?" Jack asked, keeping his voice low, not wanting to alarm anybody. Nobody else had seemed to notice Naomi's missing body. Jack wanted to keep it that way, Violet could tell.

Kate exhaled.

"I found a trail of blood. I'm guessing Naomi must have somehow taken off when we weren't looking." She explained. Jack stared at her incredulously.

"Where could she have gone? She had a knife in her back!" He stated. Kate nodded.

"Well, then I guess she won't get very far." She pointed out. Violet swallowed, as Rousseau joined them.

"I found the girl's trail of blood heading East. If we hurry, we can catch up to her before she is badly hurt." She explained. Violet rolled her eyes.

"She has a knife sticking out of her back! I'm guessing she already _is_ badly hurt!" Violet spat sarcastically. Rousseau just stared at her, but Violet ignored her.

"No, no, I already found the trail. It's headed South." Kate said, ignoring Violet's comment.

"Well, she can't have gone in two different directions." Jack said.

"Maybe she left a fake trail, to confuse us. If she thought Locke was with us, she won't want us following her." Kate pointed out.

"Kate, she's losing blood at a rapid speed. Last thing she's thinking about is leaving a dummy trail." Jack explained.

"We should head out, before it gets dark." Rousseau said finally.

"We'll split up, follow both trails." Kate pointed out. Jack shook his head.

"No, Kate. I need you to lead everyone back to the beach. The freighter people will need you all to be visible, especially if I can't get this phone to lock in our coordinates. With Naomi...well, without her, there's no chance they'll find us out here. We need to be fully visible. So take them to the beach, Kate. I'll go with Danielle and find Naomi." He said. Kate looked hurt, and Violet knew how she felt. She couldn't remember the number of times Kate ordered her to stay behind when she went running off into the jungle. Not that Violet ever _listened_ to her anyway, but that was hardly the point right now.

Kate finally nodded.

"Alright, I'll get them back to the beach." She stared at Jack seriously, and Violet immediately felt uncomfortable. After the kiss between Jack and Juliet, and then Jack telling Kate that he loved her, Violet was quickly learning she wanted to be far away from these situations.

Kate closed in on Jack and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him close. He held her too, and Violet wanted nothing more than to look away. She would never understand.

"Be careful, okay?" Kate asked, as she rubbed his back. Violet stared incredulously. She couldn't believe Kate was actually doing it!

She lifted the satellite phone off of Jack, while she was hugging him. Violet turned away.

"Yeah, you too." Jack replied, completely unaware of Kate's fast handwork. Violet didn't look at Jack as the two let go of each other. She wasn't about to say anything about what Kate had just done. She was sure Kate had a good reason.

Jack smiled at Kate and Violet before he turned to go talk to the rest of the survivors. Violet faintly heard him say something about heading back to the beach before he went to join Rousseau. Violet watched as Sun and Claire led the way with the rest of the survivors in tow, while Jack and Rousseau disappared into the jungle, pulling Ben along behind them. Violet turned and stared at Kate, who waited until Jack had disappeared into the jungle.

"Violet, I want you to go with them down to the beach. I'll be there soon." Kate looked too distracted for Violet to buy any of it. Violet crossed her arms, glaring with all the pent up rage she felt inside.

"If you think for a _second_ I'm going with them, you're crazy! I know you took the phone, so I know you must believe Naomi went your way. You're going after her, fine, but I'm going with you. Do you think I'm just gonna let some boat show up and take me on it when you're not there? Sorry Kate, but I'm not going anywhere!" Violet said as confidently as she could. She waited with her arms crossed, still expecting Kate to ignore her comments and tell her to go to the beach anyway, but Kate seemed to genuinely be considering.

"Fine, but Violet, stay close and don't wander off, because I swear, I'll never let you hear the end of it." Kate replied, pulling Violet along toward the jungle. Violet breathed out, feeling a bit surprised that Kate had allowed it. She didn't know why, but Kate did. Kate promised Violet she would make sure things were okay if they got off the island. Kate knew she couldn't leave Violet now, not when they were this close.

As the sun went down, Violet watched the rest of the survivors head back to the beach, and she followed Kate into the dark jungle.

* * *

_2006....part 2_

_"Thank you, you can keep the change." Violet said to the cab driver, as she handed him a handful of loose bills. He grunted something in response, as Violet got out of the cab, slamming the door behind her. She looked up at the facility in front of her as the cab drove off. This was it, The Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute._

_She only knew since yesterday. She had picked up the newspaper, and Hurley was front page news already. He had been arrested after his run in with the law, and had been admitted to Santa Rosa shortly afterward. Violet sighed, she knew Hurley had been here once before, for reasons unknown, but it made her uncomfortable to be here._

_Kate would freak out if she knew she were here. But Kate was with Duncan Forrester, her lawyer. Violet had come home from school to find the baby with Veronica, the nanny Kate had hired. Violet could have dismissed her, and taken care of the baby herself, but she took this as a prime opportunity to see Hurley, ask him what had happened. She simply told Veronica to tell Kate she had another soccer practice. That excuse would get old eventually, but it was Violet's best chance._

_Violet walked into the facility, feeling uncomfortable by the white tile floors and the stark white walls. It reminded her too much of hospitals. She shivered._

_"Can I help you, dear?" A receptionist asked. Violet stared at her, trying to breath._

_"Yeah, I want to see Hurley." She replied. The receptionist puckered her brow._

_"Who?" She inquired. Violet sighed. Right, not many people knew him as Hurley._

_"Hugo. Hugo Reyes." She confirmed. The receptionist eyed her as she pulled out a nametag that said "Visitor."_

_"You're one of his friends from the crash, aren't you? You're one of the Oceanic Seven?" The receptionist asked politely, handing Violet the nametag. Violet swallowed, why had they plastered their names and pictures all over the news when they returned? It felt like everybody knew her, wherever she went. Violet cleared her throat._

_"Can you just tell me where I can find him?" She stuttered._

_The woman directed her through a corridor and up a flight of stairs into a games room of sorts. The doors were guarded by orderlies or something, and Violet had to show them her nametag before she was allowed in._

_She scanned the room, seeing a wide assortment of individuals, garbed in housecoats and pajamas. Her heart was hammering against her chest when she finally saw him. Hurley. Forgetting all her curiosity as to why he was here, forgetting her nerves about the fact that he had run from the cops, she ran to him, throwing her arms around him._

_"Woah!" Hurley yelled out in fear, not seeing her coming. Violet pulled away with a bit of a grin._

_"Sorry Hurley, I couldn't help it." She replied. Hurley looked up._

_"Hey dude, it's you!" He said with a smile. "What are you doing here?" Violet shrugged._

_"I came to see you. I...I heard you were here. You're in the news." She said simply. Hurley sighed, as he looked around at all the people who were within earshot. Violet watched him as he looked around suspisciously. She jumped when he finally put his hand on her shoulder._

_"Let's get out of here. It'll be more private." He said. Violet eyed him suspisciously._

_"Hurley...you aren't really supposed to leave, are you?" She asked. Hurley stared at her._

_"Dude, I'm not escaping. Geez, we're allowed _outside_!" He said defensively. Violet shrugged._

_"Sorry, I didn't know." She stood up, grabbing her bag. "Lead the way." She said, as Hurley stood up and headed out the same door Violet came through. The orderlies let them pass. Violet wondered about that. Maybe some mental patients had priviledges, while others didn't. _Well, Hurley is one of the Oceanic Seven. Maybe that makes him VIP or something._ Violet thought to herself as she followed Hurley outside._

_It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and it was warm enough to wear a T-shirt, but not too hot either. _

_Violet joined Hurley on a bench as far away from the facility as Hurley was allowed to venture. Violet was happy for the privacy. At least around Hurley, she didn't have to pretend. At least around Hurley, she didn't have to lie._

_"Dude, you dyed your hair." Hurley broke the silence. Violet laughed._

_"Yeah, just wanted a change, I guess." She replied. Hurley smiled._

_"Black suits you." He pointed out._

_"At least you think so. I don't think Kate was overly thrilled with the idea." Violet replied._

_"Oh yeah, how are things going with that? You know, with Kate and the baby." Hurley asked. Violet sighed._

_"Hurley, things are just insane. All I've been doing lately is taking care of that baby! Kate...she's always on the phone with her lawyer, or running out to meet him. But she won't tell me anything." Violet paused, breathing out quickly. "She still treats me like a kid sometimes." Hurley snorted._

_"Dude, you _are_ a kid. Don't grow up too fast man." He said._

_"Hurley, that's not the point!" Violet snapped._

_"Sorry man." Hurley sighed. "So, like, what do you think is up with the lawyer thing?"_

_"I don't know, but Kate seems worried. That's weird." _

_"Do you think it has anything to do with the, uh, guardianship thing? I mean, with you?" Hurley asked. _

_Violet felt uncomfortable. She had never thought about _that._ It wasn't like the guardianship thing was final. There wasn't any security there. Papers hadn't been signed or anything. They really could still take her away from Kate and the baby. Violet pushed the thought away._

_"I don't know. I hope not. I don't know, I thought maybe it has something to do with what she did before the..." She lowered her voice. "Before the crash. Remember, she was a fugitive? I mean, I don't know what she did, but she was being transported back to LA by the U.S. Marshall. It was serious, whatever it was. Maybe it's got something to do with that."_

_"Maybe, but dude, don't worry. Kate's got it under control, I'm sure." Hurley replied. Violet nodded, feeling unsure, but wanting to talk about something else._

_"So, how's school?" Hurley asked. _

_"Okay, I guess. I hate how everyone looks at me like I'm a celebrity. People are _still_ asking for my autograph. People survive plane crashes everyday. They don't have to be so overbearing." Violet sighed. "At least I have soccer. Did I tell you I'm on the varsity team?"_

_"Dude, that's awesome!"_

_"Yeah, it's a lot of work, lots of practice, but it really helps." Violet paused, looking up seriously. "Anyway, it makes me feel better than the stupid therapist Kate's making me see." _

_"Kate's making you see a shrink?" Hurley asked._

_"Yep. She thinks it's good for me. I think it's a mistake." Violet replied. Hurley was silent for a minute, as he considered Violet._

_"Do you...do you still think about it? The island?" He whispered._

_Violet's heart began hammering against her chest. She hated talking about it. In fact, that was precisely the reason why Kate had her in therapy. Because she _wouldn't_ talk about it. Any of it. Not with Kate, not with anybody. _Like I could tell a therapist anyway._ Violet thought._ We have to lie. I couldn't tell her anything.

_"I don't know." Violet answered, noncommitedly. Hurley stared at her before looking around to make sure nobody was around. He leaned in close._

_"I don't think we did the right thing, Violet." Violet was taken aback. She didn't expect _this, _but she knew where it was going._

_"What?" She asked._

_"I don't think we were supposed to leave the island." Hurley replied. _

_Violet sighed, and felt tears stinging her eyes. Violet knew she was the only one of the 7 of them who left the island who agreed with him. She swallowed._

_"Me neither." She managed to say, but she immediately shook her head. "It was a mistake to leave, but we can't talk about it, Hurley. We can't._"_ She hoped Hurley would assume it was because there were people around. Violet didn't care about the people, she was only thinking about herself. She couldn't think about the island. She couldn't think about the day she left. She couldn't think about _any_ of it. It hurt too much._

_"I saw Charlie." Hurley said suddenly._

_Violet felt sick inside as she stared at Hurley. Could he actually be serious? _

_"W-what?" Violet asked._

_"The other day. Right here." Hurley motioned to the bench. "He came to visit me."_

_Violet stared at him. There _had_ to be a reason why he was admitted to the mental institution. This must be part of it._

_"Hurley, you...you know that can't be possible. Charlie, he's-"_

_"I know, Violet, but I'm telling you, I _saw_ him, right here! He talked to me. I know he's dead, okay, but he was right here. Okay, I don't know what he was, and I didn't believe him either, but he slapped me! I felt the pain, Violet, explain _that!"_ Hurley said adamently._

_Violet couldn't handle it. Charlie's death, the island, the horrible truth that life after the island was hell. Everybody was changing. _She_ was changing. Nothing was the same. It would _never_ be the same. it was too much. Violet struggled to force words out, as she stumbled to grab her bag._

_"I-I gotta go, Hurley. Sorry." She was sure she heard Hurley yelling after her, but Violet was already running toward the front gate. She felt restricted, she felt trapped, she felt afraid. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes as she ran down the street, not even bothering to hail a taxi. As she ran, she quickly repressed everything she and Hurley had talked about. She couldn't deal with it, _any_ of it._

_She doubted she ever could._


	4. Unarmed

**Chapter Four: Unarmed**

The sun had set, and darkness filled the jungle, and Violet couldn't help but feel somewhat afraid. She couldn't help but remember the two times she had encountered polar bears on this island, not to mention the boar attacks, and whatever that monster was. All the other times Violet had been out in the jungle late at night, she'd been with a group of people, and everyone had guns. Now, it was just her and Kate, and neither of them were armed. She couldn't help but feel nervous. She stayed close to Kate, trying not to let her fear show.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Violet asked, noticing her voice was shaking. So much for not letting her fear show. Kate nodded.

"Yeah, these tracks are fresh. Whoever left them can't be that far ahead of us." She explained. Violet's stomach dropped.

"What do you mean, 'whoever left them.' I thought you said we were following Naomi." She said quietly. Kate sighed.

"We are." She said quietly.

"Well, where was Jack and Rousseau going then? Didn't they say they were following Naomi's trail?" Violet asked.

"Look, the fact is there are two trails. And I don't know which one Naomi went down, but we couldn't track one trail and not the other. Not when Naomi is hurt." Kate replied. Violet swallowed, looking around carefully.

"Who...who do you think left the other trail?" She asked. Kate turned and stared at her, but she didn't have an answer.

They continued on into the dark jungle, Violet feeling more and more frightened. It was so much easier to be brave with a larger group of people, all armed with rifles and guns. Violet was beginning to regret following Kate into the heart of the jungle. She couldn't help but wonder why Naomi had taken off into the jungle, hurt. She had a knife thrown into her back, after all. Where could she have possibly gone? She knew Jack was a doctor, he could have _helped_ her. Violet swallowed. _Was this really such a good idea? _

Kate and Violet continued on in silence, Kate stopping every few moments to check on the trail. Violet wished the sun was still out. It would make this a lot less terrifying.

Violet nearly jumped out of her skin when the satellite phone Kate was holding rang. Kate froze too, and both of them stared at the phone, wide-eyed. Kate swallowed, and raised it up slightly, considering it. Violet pushed it back down, staring at Kate with curious eyes.

"What are you doing?" She hissed. "You can't answer it!"

"I have to." Kate said, staring at Violet seriously. Violet shook her head.

"You can't! If you do, you'll have to tell them what happened to Naomi. How on earth are you going to explain that?" She asked, raising her voice a little. Kate stared at her, and then back at the phone. She raised it to her ear, and Violet immediately started to argue again, but Kate motioned for her to keep her mouth shut. Violet stubbornly obliged, crossing her arms, wondering how Kate planned to get them out of this one.

"Hello?" Kate answered with almost as calm a voice as Jack. Violet thought it almost sounded convincing. Apparently the phone was still on speaker, because Violet could hear the man on the other end of the sat phone.

"Who is this?" The man asked. Kate swallowed, closing her eyes and then looking at Violet.

"This is Kate." She replied. Violet shook her head. She _knew_ she should have never answered the phone.

"Kate, I need to speak to Naomi. Where is she?" The man asked with a sense of urgency. Kate swallowed.

"She's not here right now." She answered rapidly. Violet exhaled. Big mistake. Kate was getting nervous. The guy would know she was lying. The man hesitated for a moment before he spoke again.

"Kate, where is she?" He asked again. Panicking, Kate hung up the phone. Violet breathed out.

"I told you not to answer it." She said quietly. Kate sighed and leaned up against a tree trunk and brushed the sweat off her brow. Kate didn't say anything, she just seemed to be thinking. That was when Violet saw something strange dripping on Kate's shoulder from above. Kate noticed it too. She craned her neck to look, as Violet stepped a little closer.

"What is that?" She asked. That was when she realized it was blood.

There was no time, as Naomi dropped from the tree above, landing right in between the two of them. Naomi struggled to grab the satellite phone, but Kate held on to it tightly. Naomi tried to throw a few punches at Kate, but Kate dodged them. Violet tried to crawl out of the way, but she suddenly felt a tight grip on her arm, as Naomi dragged her back up beside her. Violet tried to struggle away, but she stopped moving when she felt a sharp blade resting against her neck. Violet couldn't move her arms, since Naomi was holding her tight.

Violet tried not to move, as she looked over at Kate, who watched in horror, spreading her arms out in a peaceful gesture.

"Naomi, don't do this. We're not here to hurt you." Kate said as calmly as she could. Naomi's breathing was laboured, Violet could tell just by listening. Naomi had that knife awful close. Violet couldn't breath. She felt a tear trickle down her cheek.

"Give me the phone, Kate." Naomi managed to say. Naomi's whole body was trembling. She was badly hurt, but was she still well enough to kill Violet. Violet closed her eyes, trying not to move.

"Naomi, we would never do anything to hurt you. It wasn't us. It was Locke. He was with us but he's not anymore. He left us, and he'll do anything to stay on the island. You have to believe it wasn't us who did this to you. If you let Violet go, we can help you, Naomi. You're hurt, we can bring you back to Jack. He can fix you." Kate said with a sense of urgency, but also trying to sound calm. Naomi wasn't buying it.

"Give me the phone." She said again. Kate looked at Violet, who looked at her with pleading eyes. Kate took a step forward, and offered the sat phone to Naomi. Naomi unlocked her grip on Violet, and grabbed the phone, releasing the blade from Violet's neck. Violet crawled away quickly and ran to Kate, who grabbed her tightly. Naomi struggled to dial a number, as she leaned against the tree trunk for support. Violet stared at her uncertainly. How could a woman this close to death be able to hold her like that with such force. Violet tried hard not to let anymore tears out, but she was so scared.

Naomi held the phone up to her ear, but her body was still trembling, and her gasps were becoming shorter and shorter. Violet wished Jack were here. He could help her.

"Hello?" The voice on the other end of the satellite phone answered.

"George." Naomi stuttered.

"Naomi? Where are you? We've been trying to get a fix on your location, but you need to change the settings on your phone. Can you do that?" The man named George asked. Naomi coughed, and Violet thought she saw blood dripping out of her mouth. She forced herself to turn away.

"Alright." Naomi gasped, pressing some buttons on the phone. "Is that better?"

"That's great, Naomi, we're coming now. You alright?"

"I've been hurt, George." Naomi said, sliding down against the tree trunk slowly. Violet felt her heart racing, and was barely aware of Kate's presence, still holding on to her.

"Hurt, what do you mean hurt, Naomi. What did they do to you?" George asked.

Violet's heart skipped a beat. _Oh no_. She thought to herself. What if Naomi told those people on the freighter that they were the ones who shot a knife in her back? Those people on the freighter might come and _kill_ them all, just like Ben said they would. Violet swallowed, as Naomi struggled to catch her breath.

"Nothing, George...it wasn't...them. I...I got punctured by a tree branch....I'm...not...going...to...make...it." Naomi managed. Her breathing got worse and she pulled the phone close to her mouth. "George...tell my sister that I love her."

"Naomi, stay with me." George said through the phone, but it was too late. Violet knew that glazed look. Naomi was dead.

Violet turned away, tears already streaming down her face, as Kate went to grab the sat phone. Violet felt like she was going to be sick, as she couldn't turn around. How many more deaths would she have to see? She had watched Mikhail die through those fences. She had watched Danny Pickett die on the beach. She had watched Bea Klugh die when Mikhail shot her. Boone's dead body. Joanna's dead body. Katie's dead body. Violet felt her own body trembling.

"Violet." Violet nearly jumped when Kate placed a hand on her shoulder. Violet couldn't say anything, but the tears just kept coming. Death was everywhere, and Violet couldn't outrun it. It made her want to scream in frustration.

"Come on," Kate said, taking a hold of her arm and pulling her forward, "Let's go."


	5. Crossing the Line

**Chapter Five: Crossing the Line**

Violet's whole body felt exhausted. They'd been trekking through the jungle for a long time trying to find Naomi, and now that she was dead, the trek back seemed twice as long. Violet couldn't get the image out of her head. The suffering Naomi must have gone through before she finally died made Violet sick to her stomach. She was trying hard not to think about it, but that was difficult. She had _seen _it. How was she supposed to just forget about it?

Kate barely said two words to Violet on the way back. Kate knew Violet was shaken by Naomi's death, but Violet didn't want to talk about it. She hated how everyone seemed to want her to talk about it when somebody died. What was there to talk about? Another person just died. Nobody else seemed to make a big deal about it anymore. Why should Violet?

She sighed, as she followed close behind Kate, wondering where they were going now. She assumed they'd head back to the beach. After all, that's where everybody else was going. Violet couldn't wait to get back to their tent. She needed to sleep. She could feel it in her bones, in her joints. She didn't know how much longer she could make it.

"Do you hear that?" Kate asked suddenly. Violet stopped, feeling her heart race faster and faster. She didn't hear anything at first, but she expected she would soon hear the familiar sound of the monster, or the sound of bushes rustling to reveal a boar, a polar bear, or worse, an Other. But as Violet forced herself to listen carefully, it wasn't any of those things she heard, she heard voices. Familiar voices. Violet suddenly realized where they were, and as Kate and Violet came into the clearing, Violet felt her stomach drop as she saw the cockpit of the plane.

She remembered back to the first time she ever saw the cockpit. That had been her first time in the jungle. That seemed so long ago now, and how many trips had she taken into the dreaded jungle since then? She'd lost count.

It wasn't just the cockpit that she saw, it was a group of people, _her_ people. She felt relief, for some reason, she was just glad to see them all. Something familiar, something recognizable, it was amazing.

But she quickly realized a group of people there that hadn't been at the radio tower.

There they were. All of them safe. Hurley, Sawyer, Juliet, Sayid, Jin and Bernard. Violet, with a smile across her face, ran to Sawyer. Smiling, Sawyer scooped her up into his arms and spun her around.

"You're okay!" Violet cried out.

"Hell, Freebird, this is _me_ we're talking about. Give me a little credit." Sawyer replied, setting her down. Violet smiled, and turned to see Juliet standing beside Sawyer. She offered Violet a small smile.

Violet approached Sayid and Jin, and gave them both hugs as well, glad to see them all safe. Sayid gave her a reassuring smile.

"I thought...Ben said you...said you were dead." Violet said quietly. Sayid smiled.

"We would have been had it not been for Hurley." He replied. Violet smiled, and turned to see Hurley standing by the cockpit, staring at the ground sadly. Violet turned and saw Claire, not far from Hurley, and she was crying.

_Oh no._

Violet raced over to Hurley, forgetting Sayid, Jin and Sawyer. All that mattered right now was Hurley. What had Claire so upset? Violet didn't even want to _think_ about the answer.

Soon she was standing in front of Hurley, and he wouldn't meet her eyes. There were still fresh tears on his cheeks, and he would _not_ look at her. Frustrated and scared, Violet shook her head.

"Hurley?" She said quietly. Hurley looked up, and fresh tears were starting in his eyes, as he shifted from side to side. He was trying not to cry. Why? Why was he so sad? Why was he crying?

Violet swallowed hard.

"He's..."

Violet waited, her heart beating faster and faster with every passing moment.

"Charlie..."

Violet stopped breathing. _No..._

"He's dead." Hurley swallowed hard, tears streaming down his face. "Charlie's...dead."

Violet stared at him. She couldn't process this, she couldn't. Charlie...

She let out a choked sound and before she knew what was happening, Hurley's arms wrapped around her and squeezed tight. Violet felt tears stinging her eyes as she tried to make sense of what Hurley had just said. _No..._

Hurley cried into her shoulder, and Violet felt a single tear roll down her cheek. More than any other emotion she felt, she felt anger. It wasn't fair! Not Charlie! Damn it, not Charlie!

Hurley let her go and Violet stood rooted to the spot, staring off into space. She didn't even notice when Hurley walked away toward Claire, who was still crying softly. Violet breathed out and felt her breath catch in her throat. She felt so sick, so numb. Not Charlie...

She barely even noticed Sawyer coming up beside her.

"Come on, Freebird, Jack's rounding everyone up." Violet felt herself moving mechanically, as Sawyer's hand on her back gave her a push forward. She was vaguely aware of Juliet's concerned look when she passed. She was vaguely aware of Kate standing next to Jack. She was vaguely aware of everything, but all that was playing through her mind was Charlie.

"Alright everyone, listen up. We have to head back to the beach. The team from the freighter is on their way to pick us up and we need to be visible. Kate told me they got in contact with the boat, and they're coming." He yelled out to the crowd. Violet looked up, and snapped out of it for a moment, realizing what was happening. Kate must have told him everything that had happened in the jungle. That meant he knew about Naomi. Violet shuddered at the memory, ignoring the few cheers that erupted from the crowd of people. _Charlie...it can't be true._

"No!" A voice called out suddenly, and Violet whipped her head around to see John Locke entering the clearing. Violet swallowed, trying to control her breathing, trying to control the tears that were blurring her line of vision.

"Those people on the freighter aren't here to save us!" Locke said suddenly. "Whatever they came for, it isn't us! When they get here, we want to be as far away from here as possible."

Everyone was suddenly turning to listen to what Locke was saying, but Locke didn't have time to continue. Violet felt Jack brush roughly against her, clearing a path straight to Locke. That was when Violet remembered what Jack had said. _If he ever shows his face around me again, I'll kill him!_

"Jack no!" Violet screamed, but it was too late. Jack had jumped Locke, and had him pinned to the ground. Everyone quickly ran toward them, but Violet saw Locke reaching to his belt. What was he trying to grab? Jack quickly caught on to what he was grabbing, and Jack grabbed it first.

It was a gun.

Jack held it to Locke's head, and he began breathing heavily.

"You son of a-"

"Jack, those people aren't here to rescue us, they're not good people!" Locke tried to say.

"Jack, put the gun down." Kate tried.

"Jack, listen-" Locke said.

"Shut up!" Jack shouted.

"Jack, you're not going to shoot-"

Jack pulled the trigger.

Violet felt her heart jump in her throat, as the gun made a clicking sound, but nothing happened. Jack had pulled the trigger,

but it wasn't loaded.

The horrific truth struck Violet fiercely. If that gun had been loaded...

"It's not loaded." Locke said suddenly. With every ounce of anger Jack had in him, he lunged at Locke, grabbing his neck and squeezing.

"Jack, stop!" Kate screamed, as Sawyer and Sayid jumped in to pry Jack away from Locke. Violet clasped her hand over her mouth, to keep herself from screaming. Tears were streaming down her face now. Everything was falling apart! _Charlie_...

Sayid and Sawyer managed to get Jack far away from Locke, as Locke backed up far enough to stay away from Jack.

"I came here to tell you all the truth! Those people aren't here to rescue us. I don't know what they came for, but they're dangerous! I came here to give you a choice." He paused, staring at Jack, who finally restrained himself, but still glared at Locke with a burning hatred. "If you want to live, you need to come with me."

"Nobody's going anywhere with you, John!" Jack shouted. "Those people aren't here to hurt anyone! They're our way off this island!"

"With all due respect, Jack, but these people can make that decision for themselves." Locke said calmly. Jack was about to say something, but Kate rested a hand on his chest to stop him. Jack had a wicked temper.

There was silence among the crowd as people seemed to be considering their options. Violet swallowed, when she saw Hurley take a step toward Locke. Her heart jumped in her throat. She went to stop him, but she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Juliet shaking her head gently. Violet stopped, and watched.

"Hurley, what are you doing?" Jack called. Hurley turned around and stared at Jack with wet eyes.

"Locke is crazy, Hurley! Those people are not here to hurt us!" Jack shouted.

"What about Charlie?" Hurley yelled. Everyone fell silent, and Violet felt her throat tighten.

"Charlie died trying to save us, and the last thing he did before he died was to warn us all that those people on the boat aren't who they say they are!" Hurley was still crying a little, as he stood up for what he believed in. "So I'm not listening to you, Jack! I'm listening to my friend, Charlie! I'm going with Locke." He turned and stood next to Locke, drying his eyes with his sleeve.

Violet swallowed. She didn't know what had happened down in the Looking Glass, but whatever it was, Charlie must have found out something. Something bad. If Charlie said those people weren't who they said they were, then she believed him. Violet trusted Charlie with her life.

_Now he's gone._

She would _not_ think about it. Not right now.

She wanted to run to Hurley, go with Locke's group, the group that would stay far away from the freighter people, the group that wouldn't have to leave the island, the group that would evade rescue. The thought perked Violet up just slightly.

But then she saw Kate, who wasn't moving. Violet knew, without a doubt, Kate wasn't going anywhere. She would stay wherever Jack was. And Jack was _definitely_ not going with Locke.

Violet felt torn, this was so hard. She didn't want to leave the island, in fact, she thought she was almost as passionate as Locke was at times, but she was sure her reasoning for wanting to stay on the island was completely different than his reasoning, but all the same, Violet never wanted to leave.

But Kate did, for some reason, and Violet couldn't imagine leaving Kate behind. Kate was the closest thing to a friend Violet had left. Kate had taken care of her all these weeks since they'd crashed on this island. To imagine just leaving her behind, well, she couldn't do it. She knew her decision had already been made. She would stay with Jack, only because she couldn't imagine doing anything else.

But her heart began beating rapidly when Sawyer and Claire crossed over to Locke's side. What the hell was happening? Rescue was on its way, and their entire camp was divided. Half the people went with Locke, and half of the people were staying with Jack. Violet turned away, she didn't want to see who was leaving. Who was to say she would ever see any of them again? She was glad when it started raining. She hoped nobody would notice her tears.

She caught a glimpse of Kate's expression, as she saw that Sawyer was leaving. It was breaking her heart, Violet could tell. She peered around quickly and saw that Sayid and Juliet were staying back too. But Hurley, Claire, Sawyer...Violet forced herself to pretend like it wasn't happening. She thought she was going to be sick. She knew she was overtired, and with the added shock of Charlie's death, and the sudden split in the camp, Violet felt she was about ready to collapse.

Juliet seemed to notice Violet's sudden change, and she approached her quickly.

"Violet?" She asked in a quiet voice. Violet managed to look up, and Juliet took one look at her, and grabbed hold of her arm.

"Okay, you need to sit down. You look like you're about to pass out." Juliet led her to a log near the cockpit, and eased her down. Violet hardly even noticed what was going on around her. Everything felt like a blur, especially with the rain. She faintly made out Locke's figure, who took one last look at the rest of the survivors.

"You know where to find us, if you change your mind." Locke said. Violet closed her eyes. He must have said something about their location, but she didn't hear it. She assumed they were going to the Barracks, though. Where else would they really go, and now that the Others had left the Barracks, it was a good place to go.

Violet watched tearfully as Hurley, Sawyer, and Claire turned away with the rest of Locke's followers, and disappeared into the jungle. As they left, she couldn't help but wish Walt were here. She remembered all the times Walt could "sense" things, and when he was around, somehow she had been able to as well. She could never explain the strange connection she had with Walt, but she wished he were here now. _He'd tell me if those people were really dangerous or not._ Violet sighed, and felt her eyelids growing heavy. But no matter how much her body wanted to sleep, she knew it wouldn't happen.


	6. Numb

**Chapter Six: Numb**

_2006_

_Violet tapped her fingers anxiously on the armrest of the chair she was sitting in. She knew she was being stared at, what else was new? She already felt like she was on display everywhere she went, but here? She thought therapists were supposed to be helpful._

_The moments of silence killed Violet. She knew her therapist's tricks by now. She probably believed that by creating pockets of silence, Violet would feel uncomfortable enough to finally talk about something._

_Violet was too smart for her, though. She didn't want to be here. The only reason she came was because Kate was making her go. True, it would be easy enough to skip out on these sessions, but Violet's therapist always kept Kate informed on her progress, and Kate would know if Violet was skipping. Kate had threatened to take her out of soccer if she didn't stick with it. Violet needed soccer. _That_ was her therapy._

_"You're awfully quiet today." The therapist, Monica, pointed out. Violet simply rolled her eyes to herself, and continued to tap the chair. She glanced over at the clock on the wall. She breathed out. Had she really only been here 20 minutes?_

_"Violet, I know you hate coming here. I know the only reason you do is because of Kate, but don't you think you deserve to be happy? I know you're hurting inside. How could you not be? There's gotta be so much pain inside that you're not letting out. After everything you've been through, don't you think you owe it to yourself to let it out?" Monica asked. Violet swallowed her instinct to want to yell at the stupid therapist. How dare she? How _dare_ she? After everything she'd been through? Violet wanted to throw something at her._

_"People are in plane crashes everyday, and survive." Violet pointed out. "I don't see why _I'm_ the one who needs therapy. None of the others need it." Monica raised an eyebrow._

_"Didn't you say your friend, Hurley is in it? Didn't you say he was residing at Santa Rosa?" She asked, with a hint of a smile. "Everybody reacts differently to stressful situations, Violet. There's no harm in admitting that what happened to you is still hurting you inside. I understand it's hard -"_

_"You don't understand." Violet said quietly, staring at the ground. "Nobody does...except Hurley." She was referring to believing none of them should have ever left the island. Hurley believed it too. Violet had known from the very beginning, Violet had _never_ wanted to leave that island, but she had had no choice, and now, here she was, in a therapist's office, having to lie. Just like she, and the rest of the Oceanic Seven had to lie. How could anyone claim she could get better in therapy, when she wasn't allowed to talk about what had really happened on the island? All the lies. Therapy wasn't the answer, she'd never be able to talk about what happened. She couldn't even talk to Kate. She knew it brought up too many painful memories for her. Of leaving _him_ behind._

_Another moment of silence passed before Monica finally spoke again._

_"Can I see them?" She asked, changing the subject. Violet looked up with wide eyes. Damn her! Why did she have to ask that _every_ time?_

_Violet shook her head. The therapist raised an eyebrow._

_"Violet, you know the only reason why I haven't told Kate about this is because we have a deal. As long as I believe they're superficial enough, you're safe." Monica paused. "Now, let me see."_

_Violet cringed inside and breathed out. She didn't want Kate to know about this, she _couldn't_ let Kate know about this. _

_Violet reached for her right wrist, the one that donned a black sportsband with a skull on it, and pulled the band down._

_She could hear Monica get up from her seat, and walk over to where Violet was sitting, looking away. She knew why Monica took a breath in. There were new ones this time. Fresh ones. Monica took a hold of Violet's wrist and examined it._

_"When did you do those ones?" Monica asked gently. Violet felt tears stinging her eyes. She hated this. She had never even _told_ Monica about it. That had been a slip up. Stupid woman found out when Violet's sportsband had slid up a little. Violet cursed her for it, cursed herself for not hiding it well enough._

_Violet shrugged._

_"Couple of days ago, I guess." She mumbled. Monica shook her head. Violet didn't see it, but she could sense it. She bit her lip to keep from saying anything._

_"Violet, I thought you said this was getting better." Monica finally said. Violet looked up and met her gaze. She unconsciously shimmied the wristband back up over the array of cuts on her wrist._

_"It is." She lied._

_"Don't lie to me, Violet. That wrist looks really bad. You're running out of room. Soon you're going to want to start cutting somewhere else on your body." Monica said, her voice rising an octave to illustrate her seriousness. Violet glared at her._

_"So what?" She asked, not even caring. She felt numb anyway, she didn't care if she kept cutting until she bled to death! But she couldn't do that, not on purpose anyway. She had promised..._

_Monica stared at her for a moment, and sat back down in her chair, her eyes never leaving Violet. Violet never looked at her, but she knew Monica was staring at her, the way she always did when she was concerned. Violet unconsciously looked at the clock again. When was this going to _end?

_"I think you should tell Kate." Monica said suddenly. Violet stared at her with a sense of urgency._

_"No." She said simply. Monica leaned back._

_"What do you have against having Kate know about this, Violet? You said she cares about you. Don't you think she would want to help you?" She asked._

_"Look, I don't want her to know, okay?" Violet replied, angrily. Monica grew serious, more serious than Violet had ever seen her. Monica leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees._

_"Violet, I'm giving you an ultimatum. I see you in a week. If you're still cutting the next time I see you, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to tell Kate." Monica said quietly._

_Violet glared at her with as much hatred as she could muster. Without a single word, Violet grabbed her bag and jumped out of her chair._

_"Violet, where are you going?" Monica asked, rising as well._

_"We're done for today." Violet replied with a sense of finality, and stormed out of the office._

* * *

"Violet, talk to me. You're as pale as a sheet, what's going on?" Juliet's voice was soft, even when competing against the sound of thunderous rain pelting against the cockpit of the plane. Violet didn't respond, she just stared ahead at the clearing where Locke had just taken a group of people away, Sawyer, Hurley, Claire, Aaron. Violet swallowed. Her whole body felt like jelly. She couldn't comprehend anything, as her eyelids fluttered. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to fall asleep and wake up from this nightmare. But now was not the time.

She barely paid attention as Juliet pressed her hand against Violet's forehead, and moved her finger back and forth in front of Violet's face. Violet wasn't sure how she fared, but judging by the look on Juliet's face, it wasn't good.

Violet didn't care, she felt so detached from reality. Charlie was dead.

Charlie...

"Violet, you need to talk to me. What's going on?" Juliet asked again.

"Hey, Juliet! Can you give us a hand for a minute?" Someone called suddenly. Violet knew what was going on. Jack wasn't around, he and Kate had taken off a minute ago, they were just behind the cockpit, she had seen them go. Whoever was calling Juliet probably had a medical concern. Juliet sighed, staring at Violet seriously.

"Don't go anywhere, okay? I'll be right back." Her hand rested on Violet's head for a second, and then she was gone.

Violet didn't know how long she sat there, just getting soaked by the rain, but she was aware of her body shivering. She was also vaguely aware of voices coming from the cockpit. Violet sighed, and stood up. She wanted to be with Kate, that much she knew. She didn't have anything she wanted to say, but she wanted to be with Kate.

She tracked through the mud, past the front end of the plane, and around to where Jack and Kate were staring into the fuselage, talking. Violet didn't even hear what they were saying, as she lethargically walked toward them. Jack turned when he heard her coming. He gave a bit of a smile.

"Hey kiddo." He greeted. Violet didn't answer, she just stared blankly into the fuselage. Kate approached her.

"Violet?" She asked, grabbing hold of her face to make Violet look at her. "Are you okay?"

Violet couldn't find the words, she couldn't figure out what to say, but there wasn't any time to say anything, because all three of them had seen a bright light.

They all turned to find the source of it. It was coming from the sky. They all looked up, shielding their faces from getting pelted by the terrential downpour, but they all saw it, and Violet thought she was going to be sick.

It was a helicopter.

Kate turned to Jack.

"Is that what I think it is?" She asked, a little excitedly. Jack didn't answer, as they continued to watch it hover over the island. Violet didn't know what was holding her up, because every fibre of her being felt like it was dying, like she would collapse at any moment. They really had come...

"Look!" Jack shouted suddenly, and they all saw it.

Somebody had jumped from the helicopter, and parachuted onto the island.

"He landed somewhere over there, come _on!"_ Jack yelled suddenly, as he started running into the jungle. Kate followed after him, and Violet stumbled with her first step, but quickly ran too. She didn't even know why the hell she was running _toward_ the people who wanted to rescue them. _Unless what Ben said is true. What if they really are here to hurt us?_ She wondered. Still, she didn't want to leave Kate. Not now.

Violet had to use all of her stealth to run through the muddy jungle to try and keep up with Jack and Kate, the way she was feeling. Maybe Juliet had been on to something. _You're as pale as a sheet._

Jack walked out into a clearing, and stopped.

Kate stopped behind him.

Violet wheezed as she finally caught up to them,

and then she saw him.

A man had parachuted onto the island. Violet's breath caught in her throat. She swallowed as he removed his helmet and stared at the three who were watching him with a newfound caution and curiosity. Violet hardly was aware of Kate's hand on her arm, ready to push her out of the way if things got ugly.

"Are you Jack?" The man asked, staring at Jack. Jack looked to Kate and Violet, who stared at him with wonder. He was their leader - what was he going to do.

"Yeah," Jack shouted over the rain, "Who are you?"

The man shifted his weight, dropping his helmet on the ground.

"I'm Daniel Faraday." The man said. "I'm here to rescue you."


	7. Daniel Faraday

**Chapter Seven: Daniel Faraday**

Violet's stomach dropped as she stared at the strange man who had just fallen from the sky. Her heart began rapidly hammering against her chest, as though trying to escape, as she immediately began to regret not following Locke. Locke and the rest of the survivors would be far enough away by now that these freighter people would never find them. Violet sighed, feeling tears stinging her eyes, again. She ignored the overwhelming exhaustion she felt.

Jack suddenly looked up in the sky and realized he couldn't see the chopper anymore.

"Where's your chopper?" Jack shouted over the sound of the beating rain. Daniel looked confused for a moment, as he looked around himself, and then up at the sky. He turned in a circle and then seemed to remember what had happened.

"Oh right, well, the chopper, it was uh, going down. We had to throw everything out of the chopper to keep it up as long as possible, and uh, I guess I was one of the ones to get thrown out." He laughed awkwardly. Violet puckered her brow. This guy was strange, definitely strange.

"How many of you in the chopper?" Kate asked. Daniel breathed out, squinting his eyes.

"Uh, four, including myself and the pilot." He replied.

"Where are they now?" Jack asked.

"I don't know, but the good news is, we're all wearing GPS transponders. The sat phones can pick up our locations." Daniel breathed out, looking around. "Bad news is, I lost my pack. My sat phone was in it."

Jack shared a glance with Kate, which Violet didn't quite catch, she felt as though she were ready to collapse. She should have listened to Juliet. She had told her to stay put. Maybe she had been right. Now she was face to face with one of the people who planned to rescue them, and she felt like she were ready to fall apart, physically and mentally. She breathed out.

"A sat phone like this?" Jack asked suddenly, pulling out Naomi's sat phone. Daniel looked at it, seemingly surprised, as he approached the three.

"That's perfect, I assume it's Naomi's? Yes, of course it is." He began pressing buttons, as he turned away from the survivors, working on the phone.

Jack looked nervous, but Kate quickly reassured him.

"Don't worry. Naomi covered for us. She told them she got punctured by a tree branch. They don't know about Locke." She whispered. Violet stared at the sky, wondering when it would stop raining. She felt so distracted, her brain was still flooded with flashes and images of everything that had happened in the last 12 hours. It was too much to comprehend. Charlie...

Daniel suddenly turned back to the three survivors and opened his mouth excitedly.

"I found them, well, I mean, _I_ haven't found them yet, but the GPS transponders are working. The sat phone is showing the location of my friends." He looked at Jack. "Will you help me find them?"

Jack and Kate shared a glance, one they didn't share with Violet. Violet wasn't overly surprised. When had they ever included her in any decisions?

Not that she thought she were capable of making any decisions at this point in the day. She breathed out.

Neither Jack or Kate really said anything, but Jack finally gave Daniel a nod. Daniel smiled.

"Okay great, uh, this way." He turned around and began to lead the way. As Violet followed him with Jack and Kate, she felt her heart skip a beat. She looked over to Jack and Kate and realized they had seen it too.

Faraday had a gun in his belt.

Violet began to remember everything Ben had said, everything Ben had tried warning them about, what Charlie had said before he died.

Violet caught up to Jack and pulled on his arm. He held back a little with Violet as Kate followed Daniel a little more closely.

"What, Vi?" Jack asked in a low voice, out of earshot from Daniel. Violet swallowed.

"I don't think they can be trusted, Jack. What if...what if Ben was right? What if...Charlie was right?" She asked, trying to keep her voice quiet, but loud enough for Jack to hear her over the rain.

Jack stared at her for the first time, stopping in his tracks as he looked at her seriously.

"Are you feeling alright?" He asked. Violet sighed. She must look really bad for him to notice with all this rain.

"I'm fine." She lied. "But I don't know about this guy. He has a _gun_, Jack. What if they really _are_ here to hurt us?"

Jack shook his head, leaning close to Violet.

"Ben is a _liar!_ You should know that by now." He began walking briskly to catch up to Kate. "Trust me, Vi. I got this covered."

Violet sighed, jogging a little to catch up, but as the three survivors trekked further from the cockpit, and deeper into the jungle after this complete stranger donning a gun, Violet wasn't so sure.

* * *

Daniel wasn't a slow walker. He walked briskly through the jungle, following the little blips on his satellite phone, while Jack, Kate and Violet followed at a distance. Violet had a hard time keeping up, and she felt parched. She hadn't thought to grab a water bottle when she had decided to see what Kate and Jack had been up to behind the cockpit. It wasn't as though she had known they were going to run after a helicopter. Now, her head was spinning, and her limbs felt like jelly. Not to mention her heart wouldn't stop racing. Fear and anxiety enveloped her, as she couldn't take her eyes off the gun Daniel had in his pants. Who were these people and why did they feel the need to be armed? Violet sighed.

Kate and Jack never said a word to each other as they continued to follow Daniel, who stopped periodically to examine his surroundings. It was difficult to have a conversation that couldn't be overheard, now that the rain had finally stopped. Violet felt a chill run through her body, as her wet clothes clung tightly to her skin. She closed her eyes tightly, wishing away the bad feelings. She considered heading back, but she wasn't sure she would make it conscious.

"What's that?" Jack asked suddenly, pointing into a small clearing at what looked like a large steel box. Violet squinted her eyes and looked around. She'd been in this clearing before, she recognized it. That box had never been there before. It must have been dropped from the chopper.

Jack, Kate and Daniel entered the clearing and approached the box. Daniel immediately nodded.

"This is from the chopper." He stated, a little nervously. He stepped back cautiously as Jack and Kate began to pry it open. Violet noticed Daniel's nervous stance, as he looked around carefully, staring at his sat phone every now and then. Violet puckered her brow. What did he have to be nervous about? _He_ was the one with the gun.

Kate got the lid off the box and Jack shoved it out of the way. Violet's stomach dropped.

The box was stored with gas masks and yellow hazmat suits. Violet swallowed and looked up at Daniel, who wouldn't meet any of their curious gazes.

"What is all this?" Violet asked, her voice was weaker than she felt, she hoped nobody else had noticed. Luckily, Kate and Jack were just as eager for an answer from Daniel as she was.

Daniel cleared his throat, and looked from Jack, to Kate, to Violet, and Violet was sure she saw a bead of sweat forming on his brow.

"Yeah, that, well, see, I, uh," He cleared his throat again. "Well, see, I wasn't in charge of packing, so you know, I really, I really don't really know what it is."

Jack stood up, his eyes never leaving Daniel. Violet wasn't stupid, anybody could see Daniel was clearly lying, and he wasn't very good at it. Then again, he was a strange man, seemingly confused by a lot. Jack caught the lie too, and approached Daniel until he was right in front of him. Daniel watched Jack cautiously.

"Why'd you bring a gun, Daniel?" Jack asked. Once again, Daniel looked away, obviously not expecting he was going to be caught. He breathed out and held his head in his hands.

"Precaution." He managed to say, staring at his sat phone again. No doubt, he was hoping his friends would show up soon. He more than likely felt outnumbered. Jack kept pressing.

"Precaution against what?" He asked. Daniel clenched his teeth together, and looked back at Violet and Kate. Daniel sighed, looking up at the sky.

"Okay, look, let me just say that, uh, rescuing your people..." He paused, gauging Jack's reaction before he went on, "I can't really say it's our primary objective."

Violet's heart skipped a beat. They _weren't_ here to rescue them? So Ben had been right. But was he right about the other part? That they were all going to die? Violet swallowed.

"Then what is?" Jack asked. Daniel opened his mouth and closed it again, as though he were about to say something, but nothing came. Before he could answer Jack's question, the sat phone began beeping. Daniel turned his attention away from Jack and to the phone, turning his back on the survivors. Violet sighed, feeling frustrated. What was going _on?_

"It's Miles." Daniel said suddenly, pressing buttons on the phone, and looked up at Jack. "It's Miles!" He took off, following the course set out on the sat phone. Jack began chasing after him, and Violet followed as quickly as she could, but it was hard to keep up. Her head was really spinning now, and she was hardly aware of Kate's arm around her middle.

"Hey, you okay?" Kate asked, in that concerned voice. Violet sighed, she had been hoping Kate wouldn't notice she wasn't doing so well, but even with everything that was going on, Kate still clued in. Violet shook her off.

"I'm fine, just a little tired, but...we all are." She tried to convince Kate, but Kate didn't look so sure, and she stayed by Violet's side as they followed after Jack and Daniel. Violet shook her head to herself, but didn't say anything out loud. This made no sense to her. A man landed in the jungle after jumping out of a helicopter, he was armed, there was a box of gas masks and hazmat suits that had been thrown from the chopper, and Daniel admitted they hadn't come to rescue them. And now they were running through the jungle to find his _friend._

Nothing made sense anymore.


	8. Miles

**Chapter Eight: Miles**

"Kate, I think you should take Violet back to the beach." Jack said suddenly, as they followed behind Daniel at a decent enough distance that Jack was confidant their conversation would be private. Violet looked up defensively.

"What? Why?" She asked. Kate looked at Jack with the same question in mind.

"Violet, you're as pale as a sheet. You look like you haven't slept in days, and you're probably dehydrated." He sighed. "I don't know how long this is going to take."

"I'm fine, Jack." Violet tried convincing, but she couldn't even convince herself. Still, she wasn't going anywhere.

"Jack," Kate whispered, turning away from Violet as though she thought she wouldn't hear if she did, "We don't know who these people are. Jack, this guy had a _gun!_ He just admitted they aren't really here to rescue us. If you think I'm just gonna take Violet and leave you here-"

"Kate, I don't want her life endangered anymore than it has been!" Jack hissed. Violet sighed.

"I can hear you, you know." She said, feeling slightly agitated, as she turned to Jack. "Kate's right. We aren't just leaving you here with these people." Violet still felt overexerted and thirsty, but she had to stay strong. If Katie were still alive, she'd tell Violet she was the most stubborn girl she had ever met. But Violet knew she was just as stubborn as Katie had been. As her mom had been.

Violet sighed.

Jack sighed too.

"Fine, but Violet, if I tell you to do something, _anything_," He looked in the direction of Daniel, and then back at Violet with serious eyes, "Do it, no questions asked." Violet knew he wasn't just talking about going back to the beach because she was tired. She sensed the impending danger Jack was expecting, so she nodded her head obediently. Kate gave her a look to suggest she was just as serious as Jack was. Violet sighed. She felt so babied sometimes.

Jack, Kate and Violet continued following Daniel for a while, as the sun rose higher in the sky. Violet exhaled. The heat was causing her to sweat, and heat often caused Violet to feel faint. _Do not faint. Do _not_ faint!_ She warned herself. She tended to be prone to fainting spells. Even Juliet had known that from the file the Others had on her.

"Hey, we're getting closer!" Daniel called out suddenly. Violet secretly thanked God, as she wasn't sure how much walking she would be able to do.

They arrived at a rocky plain, and Violet heard Daniel's sat phone begin beeping faster and faster. Then Daniel dropped the phone in the grass.

"Oh no! Miles!" He shouted, and began to run down the rocky decline toward something Violet hadn't seen yet.

And then she saw him.

There was a man lying limp at the bottom of the incline. He looked unconscious.

Violet followed Kate and Jack down the steep drop after Daniel. Jack immediately went into medical mode, and ran ahead of Kate and Violet, and passed Daniel too. Violet's stomach jolted suddenly. She had a bad feeling all of a sudden. They didn't even know who these people were.

"Jack, wait, I-"

In the blink of an eye, the man who had feigned unconsciousness sat up and pulled a gun on Jack.

"Back off, handsome!" He said loudly. Violet jumped, as Kate grabbed her arm and forced her behind her. Violet peeked her head around and watched as Jack spread his arms out slowly.

"Woah, hey, Miles, what are you doing? They're okay. They're survivors from the plane crash. I found them just south of here a while ago. They've been helping me find you. Why don't you just put the gun down?" Daniel said, taking a step forward. But Miles' exagerrated movements kept him from moving any further forward. Miles never lowered the gun.

"Miles, don't-"

"Daniel! Back off, you don't know what you're doing!" Miles shouted. Daniel stopped.

"Miles, they're okay, they're the survivors of Oceanic-"

"Where's Naomi?" Miles yelled out. Violet's stomach sank. _Oh no!_

"What?" Daniel asked, but Miles wasn't asking Daniel. He was staring straight at Jack.

"_Where's_ Naomi, handsome?" Miles asked. Violet swallowed as Kate turned to Violet for a quick second. She motioned with her hand to stay put and stay low. Violet looked at her wild-eyed, as Kate turned and slowly took steps forward toward Daniel, who wasn't paying attention to the two girls. Neither was Miles

"Miles, what are you talking about?" Daniel asked, his arms spread out in a pleading manner.

"She landed here first, a few days ago, so where is she now?" Miles asked, lifting the safety off his gun. Violet swallowed. Kate was getting closer, rounding around Daniel from behind. He was so fixated on Miles, he didn't even notice. But Miles did.

"Look, Naomi's-" Jack started to say, but Miles swung around, pointing his gun wildly at Kate. Violet took a quick step forward.

"Kate!" She shouted.

"Back off sweetheart!" Miles shouted at Kate, realizing she was trying to take Daniel's gun from the back of his pants. "I don't think so!" Kate backed away, spreading her hands out.

"Miles, Naomi's probably fine, I'm sure-"

"Don't be stupid, Dan!" Miles shouted, staring back at Jack and Kate. "_They_ killed her!"

"We didn't kill her!" Kate said defensively.

"You think I'm stupid?" Miles asked loudly. "She used the code!"

"What code?" Daniel asked, feeling confused.

"The code we're supposed to use if we got captured, and have a gun to our head! 'Tell my sister I love her.' Newsflash, Dan, Naomi didn't _have_ a sister! Explain that!" Miles shouted. Kate shook her head.

"We didn't-"

"Naomi is dead." Jack said calmly. "But we didn't kill her."

"It was John Locke!" Violet shouted suddenly. Miles rounded on her with the gun, as though realizing her presence for the first time. Kate took a step forward protectively, but Miles rounded the gun back to her. Miles' eyes turned back to Violet.

"What?" He shouted. Violet swallowed. She hadn't expected to get involved. Her tongue felt thick in her mouth as she tried to find her voice again.

"It was John Locke." Violet sighed shakily. "He's one of the survivors of our plane crash...but he's not with us. He killed her, because he didn't want us to leave the island." She was surprised at how steady her voice sounded. It was inconsistent with her fluttering heartbeat and shaking limbs.

Miles was silent for a moment, as his eyes shifted wildly from Violet, to Kate, to Jack, to Daniel, and back to Violet again. Violet swallowed, wondering what was going to happen. Would Miles believe her? Would he believe any of them? Was he going to kill them?

Finally, Miles turned back to Jack and lifted his head.

"Take me to her body." He ordered. Jack puckered his brow.

"What?" He asked.

"Take me to her body!" He lowered his gun just slightly. "Then I'll know if you're telling the truth."

Violet swallowed, sharing a glance with Kate. Naomi was dead. How was Miles supposed to know if they were telling the truth just by seeing a corpse in the middle of the jungle? It wasn't as though John Locke's signature was on the knife that killed her.

Violet shook her head, as Kate grabbed hold of her arm to follow Jack, Miles and Daniel back into the jungle. Violet didn't know who these people were, but she was beginning to wonder if this Miles guy was really dangerous,

or just psycho.

* * *

Only half an hour had passed, and Violet, Kate and Jack were standing in a small clearing just a few feet away from where Naomi's body was laying. Daniel was pacing back and forth a little further away, staring up at the sky, turning in circles, and muttering something incoherent every now and again.

But Violet couldn't take her eyes off of Miles.

He was kneeling next to Naomi's body, eyes closed, and muttering something under his breath. It almost looked like he was praying. Violet wasn't sure.

What she was sure of was how badly she was doing.

Her whole body was shaking now. She had been on the go constantly since two days ago, when they left the beach. In that time period, she had probably had one bottle of water, and hadn't rested. She had trekked to the radio tower, been told Sayid, Bernard and Jin were dead, only to find out not long afterward that they were alive. She had heard Jack call the freighter, seen Naomi stabbed in the back, and been held at knifepoint in the jungle. She had found out Charlie was dead, _Charlie_, Locke split the camp in half, taking Hurley, Claire and Sawyer with him, then came the helicopter with Daniel, and now Miles. It had been two days of constant walking, no sleep, next to no water, and emotional exhaustion. Violet wasn't sure how much more she could take. If she didn't rest soon, she wasn't sure what would happen. _Prone to fainting spells. Do _not_ faint!_ Juliet had been right back at the cockpit. She had tried to keep Violet from fainting, and had ordered her to stay put. _I should have listened to her. She knows better than I do._ She couldn't do anything about it now. She knew she wouldn't make it very far on her own. The last thing she wanted to do was pass out in the middle of the jungle by herself, where polar bears, boars or Others could get her.

Although she wasn't sure about the Others, now that Ben had been captured by the survivors. But that was the _last_ thing she wanted to think about.

"The light...it scatters oddly here...doesn't it?" Daniel suddenly said, breaking the silence. Kate, Jack and Violet turned to stare at him, but he wasn't talking to them. He was clearly talking to himself. Violet shook her head.

"Dan?" Kate asked suddenly, interrupting Daniel's odd conversation. Daniel came back to reality, as he looked at Kate. Kate looked at the gun Daniel was holding.

"Dan, why don't you put the gun away?" She asked calmly. "You don't want anyone to get hurt, do you?"

"Of course not." Daniel smiled a little.

"Why don't you put it away, then?" Kate asked again. Daniel suddenly looked uncomfortable, looking from the three of them, over to Miles, who was still murmuring over the dead body. Daniel cleared his throat.

"Because," He said in a struggled voice, "Miles would kill me."

Violet wasn't the least bit surprised, as she sighed heavily, and turned away. The truth was, Miles scared her. The way he held that gun at Jack and Kate made Violet believe he might actually pull the trigger. Now they were simply waiting on Miles to decide whether or not they were telling the truth. Violet closed her eyes without thinking.

Daniel went back to staring at the sky, as Jack and Kate exchanged whispers with each other.

"What are we going to do if he doesn't believe us?" Kate hissed. "What if he doesn't buy that Locke isn't with us?" Jack was silent for a moment, as he seemed to consider their situation. Violet was hardly paying attention. All she wanted was her bed. But would she even sleep if she had it? Images of Charlie flashed through her mind. She thought she might be sick.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there." Jack said quietly, as Miles stood up from Naomi's body, returning to Jack, Kate, Violet and Daniel. Violet suddenly couldn't tear her eyes away from Naomi's corpse. Flashes of the woman dying slowly and painfully crept up on Violet, and all she could see was blood. Violet swaggered on the spot. Thank goodness nobody had noticed. They were all busy waiting for Miles to say something. Miles turned to Daniel.

"They're telling the truth." Miles said casually, as though it wasn't a matter of life and death for the survivors. "Naomi died just like they said she did." Daniel nodded, as though he had known this all along, but Kate, Jack and Violet stared at Miles in shock and confusion. Violet looked over at Naomi's dead body once again and shuddered. How had Miles known that just by hovering over her corpse? Violet wasn't sure, but she didn't care. At least Miles didn't have cause to kill them anymore. But he still held the gun close, and looked at Dan to do the same.

"Alright, we have to find the rest of our team, and you people are going to help us." Miles said. Violet almost cried out. She felt as though she were going to collapse at any given moment, and they were going to do more walking. She almost wished Miles would just kill her and get it over with.

But then Violet noticed Jack's strange behaviour. He was turning around in a complete circle, while Miles and Daniel exchanged a few words. Violet puckered her brow. What did he see? What was he hearing? She didn't have a chance to ask him, as he turned to Miles with an air of authority.

"Hand over your guns, Miles." He said in a controlled voice, looking at both Miles and Daniel simultaneously. Daniel looked nervous suddenly, and willing to oblige quickly. But Miles shot him a warning glance and then looked back at Jack, raising his gun to him again.

"Why would I want to do that, huh?" He asked, his voice gaining a threatening tone. Violet was just as curious as Miles was. Why would Jack try something so stupid? Both of them were armed, and Jack, Kate nor Violet had a weapon. Why would Jack play that card?

"Because my friends are in the jungle right now, with guns pointed to your head, and your head." Jack pointed to Miles and Daniel respectively. "So unless you want to be shot, I'd drop your guns."

Miles stared at Jack for a moment, as though weighing the seriousness of his threat, while Daniel turned in a complete circle, scanning the tree line. Miles gave a sudden laugh.

"You expect me to believe-"

BANG! BANG!

Two shots rang through the jungle, as everybody dropped to the ground, grasping their heads for protection. Kate hovered near Violet, grabbing her instinctively to protect her. When Violet looked up, her whole body shaking, she saw Juliet and Sayid exiting the jungle from two separate areas, both holding rifles up at Miles and Daniel.

Nobody was hurt, but Miles and Daniel realized Jack was telling the truth. Violet stood with Kate, feeling her heart hammering rapidly against her chest. Her dizziness suddenly got a lot worse, as she leaned against a tree for support.

"Put your guns down." Jack ordered again. Neither Juliet nor Sayid lowered their weapons as Miles stared at Jack dumbfoundedly, hesitantly putting his gun on the ground. Daniel followed suit and did the same. Jack took a step forward and took the guns, handing one to Kate. Jack tucked the gun in the back of his pants, and turned to Juliet. She stared at him with piercing blue eyes. He gave a small nod.

"Thanks."


	9. From the Bushes

**Chapter Nine: From the Bushes**

Sayid stood guard over Miles and Daniel, who's eyes never left Sayid. Miles appeared angry, and Violet couldn't say she blamed him. He believed he was in complete control of the whole situation, until Sayid and Juliet jumped out of the jungle with rifles. Now, _they_ were in control. Miles didn't seem thrilled.

Violet was holding on to a tree branch for support. Her head was swimming, and everytime she blinked, she felt faint. She listened carefully and noticed they weren't near any streams. She would have to wait longer for some water. She breathed out, closing her eyes.

Nearby, Jack, Kate and Juliet were talking in hushed voices, so as not to alert Miles and Daniel.

"How did you know we'd be in trouble? Where to find us?" Jack asked. Violet stole a glance at Kate, who glared at Juliet levelly. Kate had never liked Juliet, she had always been very open about that, telling Violet to stay away from her. But ever since Juliet kissed Jack before she left for the beach what seemed like days ago, Kate's hatred for Juliet seemed to grow. Violet sighed.

"We realized something was wrong when everyone else returned to the beach, but you three didn't." Juliet shot a significant glance at Violet. Violet looked away. She knew what Juliet was thinking. After Juliet had told Violet to stay put the previous night, Violet had instead opted to follow Jack and Kate into the jungle. She gathered Juliet wasn't too happy with her. She didn't care. She looked away.

"Good thing you were paying attention then." Jack smiled. Juliet laughed, and Kate rolled her eyes, walking away. Violet eased herself down into a sitting position against the tree, forcing herself to keep herself conscious. She heard Sayid trying to ask Miles and Daniel questions, but neither of them were saying too much. Daniel started to answer questions, but Miles began to threaten him.

"Daniel, I swear, if you say _one_ more word, I'll break every one of your fingers." He said in a tensed voice. Violet swallowed. Miles wasn't the type of person she wanted to cross. If he ever saw an advantage, and got the gun away from Sayid, well, Violet didn't even want to think about what would happen then.

"We should get moving." Jack announced suddenly. Violet winced at the thought of having to trek anymore, but she got up obediently and followed behind the group, trying to keep up as best as possible. This _had_ to be over soon. All she wanted to do was sleep, and forget everything.

_Charlie._

She swallowed down tears.

As they walked, Sayid continued to interrotage his prisoners.

"If you are not here to rescue us," Sayid pointed out, recalling his conversation with Jack about Daniel's comment, "then why are you here?" Violet wasn't surprised when neither Miles nor Daniel answered. Daniel seemed to be considering an answer, but one glare from Miles shut him up. Sayid shared a glance with Jack, who shrugged.

"Good luck getting anything out of them, Sayid." He said. Sayid sighed, but continued talking.

"You know, for a team who isn't here to rescue the survivors of Oceanic 815, you don't seem overly surprised to have run into us." He pointed out, still holding his rifle at the ready. Violet puckered her brow. She hadn't thought of that. She thought, again, of Ben, who had tried convincing the group that the people on the freighter weren't there to help them. It was beginning to look as though he were right. _So what if he's right about them coming to kill us all?_ Violet breathed out.

Daniel and Miles kept their mouths shut as the group of six continued trekking through the jungle. She didn't even know where they were going. She had missed that bit of the conversation, finding herself zoning out easily during her dizzy spells, which were becoming more frequent. _Prone to fainting spells..._

_Don't faint!_

Violet swallowed, feeling the raw sting in her throat burning fiercely. She needed water. She knew she should saw something, but she was pretty sure nobody had any with them, so saying anything would just be a broken record. She sighed.

Silence ensued for some time during the trek, until a beeping sound pierced through the silence. Violet stopped, along with the rest of the group, as Sayid pulled out the satellite phone he had taken from Miles. He stared at it for a moment, before turning to Miles.

"What does this mean?" He asked, pointing to the screen. Everyone moved in close, to glance over Sayid's shoulder. Violet caught a quick glimpse. It looked like a bullseye on the screen, with a flashing dot that seemed to be migrating toward the center of the circle. Daniel gasped.

"It's Charlotte." He pointed out, turning to Jack. "Remember I told you we were all wearing GPS transponders."

Sayid stared at the phone again, trying to pinpoint the direction the dot was coming from. He pointed toward some bushes.

"She must be coming from this direction." He said, and the group headed toward the bushes carefully. Sayid made sure Daniel and Miles stayed behind him, so they wouldn't run ahead stupidly. Sayid was smart, and always careful. He motioned for everyone to crouch down and stay behind him, as he held his gun up. Jack looked at the satellite's phone screen again.

"It looks like she's coming fast." He pointed out.

"She's probably running from someone." Miles said sarcastically, hinting negatively toward the survivors. Violet ignored him, looking at the bushes nervously. Silence, with the occasional beeping of the satellite phone. Then they heard rustling. Whoever it was, was getting closer. Everyone remained silent, as the rustling grew louder and louder. Sayid pulled his gun up, and Jack, Kate and Juliet followed suit. Violet stayed behind, with Daniel and Miles, as her heartrate increased. She tried to steady her breathing, not sure what to expect.

Then the bushes divided, and Violet stared unbelievingly.

Then she screamed out.

"Vincent!" She ran forward toward the golden lab, surprised to see him. She hardly even noticed the satellite phone that was strapped to his collar. Jack pulled it off, and consulted with the group.

Violet was oblivious, as she wrapped her arms around the dog's neck, allowing him to lick her face. She laughed to herself, feeling a sense of relief as she clung to the dog desperately. Vincent was back. The dog Walt had given to Violet was back, and he was safe.

* * *

_September 2004 - the day after Oceanic 815 crashed_

_"What's your dog's name?" Violet asked as the golden retriever ran ahead of the two kids on the leash that Walt was struggling to keep a grip on._

_"Vincent. I've had him since he was a puppy. He's three now." Walt replied. They had been gone for almost an hour now, walking for a little bit, and then stopping to sit down and observe their surroundings, exploring as they went until they passed through some bushes into a clearing. _

_"Cool." Walt commented as he looked around at what looked like a circle of trees secluding them from the rest of the island. _

_"It's beautiful." Violet said dreamily, her mind drifting suddenly from the pain she had been feeling, as she looked around at the different trees._

_Walt sat down on the ground, and began picking at the grass with his fingers, as Vincent flopped down on his back, exposing his belly. Violet smiled and knelt down next to the dog, rubbing his stomach as Vincent's leg began to kick. _

_"You're such a good dog, aren't you?" Violet asked as the dog jumped up and began licking Violet's face, causing her to giggle a little bit. Violet wasn't even consciously aware that this was the happiest she had been since crashing on the island..._

* * *

Violet missed Walt, as she clung to the dog sadly. Memories flooded over her. The day they met, the day he left, the day Violet found out he had been taking by the Others too, the day she had seen him for the last time ever, being dragged away by an Other. Juliet had told her that he was leaving the island with his father. She hadn't seen him since.

She brushed a tear away, as she became aware of the voices behind her.

"What does it mean?" Sayid asked. Jack sighed.

"It can only mean one thing." He breathed out. "Locke's got Charlotte."

Violet blocked out the sounds of Miles cursing and screaming, as she stroke Vincent's fur. Her mind went back to Walt, and the pain she felt over the fact that she may never see him again. It all felt so long ago, and yet it felt so real, so recent. She and Walt had a connection the two had never been able to explain, and without Walt, everything felt so surreal.

She picked up Vincent's leash that was trailing behind him, and followed the group as they headed somewhere new. Again, Violet had no idea where, but it didn't matter. She had to keep hoping they would make it back to the beach before something bad happened to her.


	10. Breaking Point

**Chapter Ten: Breaking Point**

Violet clung to Vincent's leash tightly, trying to keep reign of the dog, feeling completely powerless over the gold lab. Normally, controlling Vincent wouldn't be a problem, but she could feel her body getting weaker and weaker with every moment that passed.

She didn't even know where they were going, she only followed behind the group, trying to keep up as best she could, using Vincent as an excuse whenever they turned to see her slowing down. Everyone was too distracted to notice her - they were too busy arguing with Miles about Charlotte and Locke.

"What do you mean Locke's got her? What, he just _kidnaped_ her?" Miles yelled.

"I don't know, but I don't know who else would take her GPS transponder and strap it to the dog." Jack replied. What Violet couldn't figure out was how Locke had found Vincent in the first place. Vincent had been missing since she had been taken by the Others, and all of a sudden, he just appeared? Violet didn't care, as she patted Vincent's head. She had him back; it made her think of Walt, and that gave her the little bit of strength she needed to go on.

The sun was rising higher in the sky and Violet was sweating. Her throat felt so sore, her lips were chapped and her head was swimming. She knew she was dehydrated, she wasn't an idiot. Her sister was a nurse, and she had been dehydrated on this island before. She remembered back to the first couple of weeks on the island. She had been badly dehydrated then too, and had passed out in a moment of crisis, when the water had gone missing. She remembered how bad she felt then, having not had water for hours, due to her stubbornness. She only hoped that this time, she would get to some water before she fainted again. That was the _last_ thing this group needed right now.

The group headed into a clearing and Violet tightened her grip on the leash, because Vincent began barking at something ahead of them. She looked up and realized the rest of the group had stopped, because they had seen it too. Violet strained her eyes and saw it - a man, unconscious on the ground.

Jack and Miles ran ahead to the man, while Sayid held his rifle at the ready.

"Frank!" Daniel yelled out, running ahead to join Jack and Miles. Jack looked up at Dan.

"Who is he?" He asked, checking Frank's pulse.

"He's our pilot." Miles replied, shaking Frank's shoulder. "Hey, Frank, wake up man!" He slapped the man's cheeks hard, and the unconscious figure startled and looked up. Violet approached slowly to take a look at the man. He was wearing a Hawaiin shirt, and was an older man, with a white beard and shaggy white hair. He spoke in a rough voice.

"What happened?" He asked, looking up at Miles, and then realizing there was a handful of unfamiliar faces. He looked worried, especially when he saw the gun.

"What's going on, Miles?" He asked.

"Don't even ask, Frank." Miles replied, motioning toward the survivors. "Where's the chopper?" Frank rubbed his head, as he sat up with a groan.

"Chopper..."

"Yeah, Frank, where'd you crash the chopper?" Miles yelled out. Frank stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Crash? What kind of pilot do you think I am?" He asked with a bit of an innocent laugh.

"But Frank, we were going down. You told us all to bail." Daniel pointed out.

"Yeah, we needed to reduce the weight load, but I didn't crash the copter. I landed her safe and sound, right over there." Frank pointed to the edge of a hill.

Violet swallowed, feeling her heart hammering against her chest. She stood rooted to the ground, as Jack and Miles stood up, and the entire group, Sayid, Jack, Kate, Juliet, Miles, Frank, and Dan walked over to the edge of the ridge, staring down. Violet breathed out, she didn't want to see it. She knew what they were seeing, and that scared her more than anything else.

Vincent pulled her forward, and Violet had no choice but to approach the same ridge the rest of the people stood on. Violet looked down and her whole world felt like it was falling apart.

There was the helicopter.

Helicopter meant rescue.

Violet's heart was racing fast, her breathing was laboured, her body was trembling, her head was spinning. She didn't even notice the smiles crossing Jack, Kate, Juliet and Sayid's faces at the prospect of finally being able to get off this island; she didn't have to, she knew they'd all be thrilled.

But Violet felt her stomach jolt, and her vision was blurring. Her ears began ringing, and her body grew weaker and weaker. She thought she heard someone calling her name, but blackness overtook her...

* * *

"Violet." A voice that seemed far away said. Violet could only see blackness, and she slowly became aware of herself, finding consciousness again. Her whole body felt heavy.

"Violet, can you hear me?" The voice said again. So quiet, Violet could barely hear her, and Violet couldn't find her voice. She struggled to open her eyes, but she managed.

The sun was so bright, it made her squint as she tried to focus on something. She saw an outline of someone hovering over her. Long, blonde hair, and as she began to focus a little more, blue eyes.

Juliet.

"Violet, can you hear me?" She asked again. Violet looked around, and realized she was laying on the grass. Then she remembered feeling strange when she saw the helicopter. She breathed out. _I fainted. _She cursed under her breath.

"Violet." Juliet said again. "Are you okay?" Violet's head was spinning, but she managed to nod her head with strained effort. She was lying - of _course_ she wasn't okay, but she had to pretend like she was. She didn't want all the attention on her.

"Okay, give me your hand, I want you to sit up, okay?" Juliet asked. Violet breathed out, but nodded, accepting Juliet's offered hand. Juliet helped pull her up and leaned her up against a tree. Violet's head began swimming rapidly, as she brought her fingers to her forehead, moaning slightly. She looked up, and even though everything was still blurry, she noticed Jack, Kate and Sayid discussing something not too far away. Kate kept glancing over toward Violet. Violet sighed - now she had slowed everyone down.

"Violet, talk to me." Juliet said quietly. "I want you to tell me what made you pass out like that." Violet stared at her. Juliet had known something was up since last night when she had told her to stay put at the cockpit, recognizing she hadn't looked too great. How was Violet supposed to pretend like everything was fine? _Nothing is fine. Charlie..._

Violet managed a shrug.

"I...I don't know." She said quietly. Juliet looked at her with unbelief. Violet knew she had always been a bad liar.

Jack joined them a few seconds later, kneeling down beside Violet.

"Violet? You okay?" He asked. Violet nodded.

"I'm fine." She replied.

"You fainted." Juliet pointed out, unamused. Violet just stared at her, not saying anything.

"Violet, when was the last time you slept?" Jack asked. Violet sighed.

"I don't know." She said quietly. "A few nights ago, I guess." Jack shared a glance with Juliet, which Violet pretended she hadn't seen.

"When was the last time you had water?" Jack asked. Violet sighed, wishing he wasn't asking these questions. She knew she was dehydrated, she didn't need a couple of doctors telling her that.

"Yesterday sometime I guess." Violet replied, looking away angrily. She was slowing everyone down, and everyone was staring at her. She hated this.

Jack looked over at Juliet, who's eyes never left Violet.

"She's overtired, and I'd guess dehydrated too." Jack said to Juliet, as though Violet weren't there. Violet sighed.

"I'm _fine,_ Jack." She complained. Jack stared at her with raised eyebrows.

"People who are fine don't pass out, Violet. We're staying here for a while, to figure out what to do about the helicopter. I want you to stay put and rest for a while. You'll need your energy since we don't have any water until we get back to the beach." He stood up and walked back toward the rest of the people. Violet stubbornly tried to stand up, but felt Juliet's forceful hand on her shoulder.

"What are you doing?" She asked. Violet sighed.

"This is stupid, I'm not _dead._ I don't want to be babied." She replied. Juliet shook her head.

"Well, tough. You need to rest, so _please_, just stay put," She paused, "And _listen_ this time." Violet knew she was referring to the previous night. She sighed, but leaned back against the tree, secretly glad she was able to sit for a while, but she didn't like that she wasn't a part of the conversation that was taking place about the helicopter.

Juliet got up, after giving Violet one stern look that told her not to move, and headed over to join the rest of the group. Vincent, who someone must have tied to the tree, came over and laid beside Violet obediently. Violet sighed, staring at the helicopter angrily as Sayid made his way over to check it out. Violet looked away, feeling her head still spinning slightly.

"Hey." Kate said suddenly. Violet looked up, not realizing Kate had even approached her. Violet managed the tiniest fraction of a smile.

"Hi." She said quietly, petting Vincent absently.

"You feeling any better?" Kate asked. Violet looked up, narrowing her eyebrows.

"I was doing fine." She replied. Kate scoffed sarcastically.

"You're such a liar." She commented with a smile. Violet rolled her eyes, looking over at the helicopter.

"Does it work?" She asked, changing the subject. Kate shrugged.

"Not sure yet. Sayid's checking it out." She replied, pausing to look over at Violet. "You okay?"

"I said I was feeling fine." Violet said stubbornly. Kate sighed.

"I wasn't talking about you fainting." She pointed out. Violet stared at her, not even knowing how to answer that question. Kate already knew the answer to that question. She knew how Violet had felt about rescue all along - why would she even _ask?_

Thankfully, Violet never had to answer, because Jack called Kate over for something. Kate looked worriedly at Violet before finally going to him. Violet sighed, staring after the helicopter anxiously. This just didn't feel real, _none_ of it felt real. Rescue, the camp splitting, Charlie...

No, she couldn't think of Charlie. It hurt too much.

Forcing the tears away, she clung to Vincent's leash tightly. Walt had told her Vincent was a good listener when he gave him to her. Violet sighed. _Walt was a good listener too._ Walt understood Violet - they had had a connection from the first day they met - they didn't even have to _talk_ about hard stuff, they just knew. Somehow, they just knew.

Violet hardly even noticed when Juliet and Frank the pilot joined her under the tree. Violet looked up and realized Juliet was treating the wound on Frank's head. There must have been a first aid kit on the helicopter. Violet looked away. She wished she could just be left alone. She was really hating life right now.

"So you're a doctor, huh?" Frank asked, as he winced from the disinfectant Juliet was patting on his forehead. Juliet smiled.

"I'm really more of a researcher." She explained. "But I did go to med school, does that count?" Frank laughed a little.

"Yeah I guess it does." He looked up. "What's your name?"

"Juliet." Juliet replied.

"Juliet, what?"

"Juliet Burke."

"Burke..." Frank seemed to be considering something for a moment as he breathed out. Violet looked up worriedly. He didn't like the way he said Juliet's name. She swallowed.

"Hey Miles!" Frank yelled out suddenly. Miles, who was standing with Daniel, turned and stared at Frank.

"What do you want?" He asked impatiently.

"This here's Juliet Burke." Frank replied, nodding toward Juliet. "She wasn't on the plane."

Miles' eyes widened. Violet didn't like it. She shifted uneasily.

"What?" Miles spat.

"I've looked over that manifest list a thousand times, and there was no Juliet Burke on that plane." Frank explained, looking up at Juliet, then back at Miles. "That means she's a native."

As though some switch went off in Miles, he walked quickly toward Juliet with anger in his eyes and nothing could stand in his way. Juliet didn't move, but Violet jumped up nervously, moving out of Miles' war path, quickly feeling Kate grabbing hold of her arm protectively. Violet felt her head spin.

"Where is he?!?" Miles shouted, walking toward Juliet angrily. Juliet didn't move - she was always so composed that way, Violet thought. That woman seemed to never show any fear and didn't seem intimidated by anyone. Jack, on the other hand, didn't like where this was going. He stepped between Juliet and Miles.

"Back off!" He said to Miles authoritatively.

"Where is who?" Juliet asked calmly, ignoring Jack.

"You need to calm down and tell me what you want." Jack said to Miles, still standing in front of Juliet. Violet swallowed, still clinging to Vincent's leash.

"You wanna know why we're here? I'll tell you why we're here!" Miles reached into his pocket furiously, his anger controlling his movement. Violet didn't like where this was going.

Miles pulled out a picture and shoved it at Jack.

"We're here for _him!_" Miles shouted. "We're here for Benjamin Linus!"


	11. Left Behind

**Chapter Eleven: Left Behind**

Violet tuned them out, eventually. Miles was still going on about Ben, and Jack, Kate and Juliet were trying to explain they weren't all part of the same group. Jack told him Ben had gone with John Locke, the same man who was responsible for Naomi's death.

Violet sighed, as Miles angrily demanded to be taken there. Why was he so interested in Ben, and how in the world had they even _known_ about Ben? He said he'd been on this island his whole life - so if that were true, how would people from the outside world know about people on an island nobody had been able to find?

That was when Violet tuned them out. She didn't have the energy to keep up with whatever was going on.

At least the clouds had shaded the sun a little, so it wasn't as hot, but Violet still felt overly dehyrdrated and dizzy. She couldn't wait to get back to the beach, but with everything happening with Miles and Daniel, Violet had a hunch they weren't going to be trekking out anytime soon. Especially with a helicopter in the same valley.

Violet scratched behind Vincent's ear when she saw Sayid join Miles, Jack and Juliet. Dan and Frank got up from a nearby tree, and joined them. Violet stayed where she was, kneeling on the ground with Vincent - she could hear them from here.

"You say this Locke guy has Charlotte. We need to get her too, so take us there." Miles demanded. Sayid put his hand up.

"We will offer you a compromise." He said calmly. Violet smiled to herself - Sayid always knew what to do, and he always did so with such confidence. "I will go to the barracks and bring back Charlotte from Locke's camp, if you will agree to fly me to your boat." He was looking at Frank.

Dan, Miles and Frank looked from one to another, contemplating their options. Frank shrugged.

"Don't think you've got any other options here, boys." He said casually. Miles rolled his eyes.

"Fine." He agreed, and that was how Kate, Juliet, Jack, Sayid and Violet ended up in a circle out of earshot from the freighter guys. Juliet kept shooting Violet concerned glances. Violet still felt horrible - she wondered if she _looked_ just as bad.

Sayid pulled out a crumpled old photograph and handed it to Jack. Violet craned her neck to get a look, and wondered where he had gotten it. It was a photograph of Desmond with some woman. Violet puckered her brow.

"This photograph was with Naomi." He explained. "I think Desmond will be able to shed some valueable light on these people from the freighter."

"What makes you think he knows anything about them?" Juliet asked. "Just because she had a photograph of Desmond?"

Sayid shrugged.

"It's worth a shot." He concluded.

Jack nodded in agreement and turned to Juliet.

"Will you go get him? Desmond?" He asked. Violet stole a glance and immediately noticed the look on Kate's face when Jack asked her. She was hurt; hurt that Juliet was asked and not Kate. Violet looked away.

"Sure, I'll be back soon." With that, Juliet took off, stealing a quick glance at Violet before she left.

Violet sighed. Why people decided to fall in love in the first place was beyond her.

Jack turned to Sayid.

"You're going to take him to the barracks?" He asked, motioning toward Miles. Sayid nodded.

"Yes, I will go and reason with Locke to let Charlotte go." He explained.

"I'm going with you." Jack explained. Sayid shook his head with a smile.

"No, Jack, I don't think that is a good idea." He explained. "I wish to do this with as little bloodshed as possible, and, correct me if I'm wrong, but the last time you and Locke had a confrontation, it ended with you pulling a trigger to his head."

Violet shuddered at the memory. Jack, _Jack_, had nearly killed one of their own. Whether Locke was with them or not, it didn't matter. Jack wasn't a killer, or at least, Violet had never seen him as such. Now. she didn't know _what _to think.

Jack didn't respond to Sayid's comment, but he finally gave a slight nod, agreeing with him.

Sayid went to get some stuff together before they began their trek toward the barracks. Violet, feeling angry and confused over what Jack had done the previous night, not to mention her lack of sleep, food and water probably didn't help, looked up at Jack with dagger eyes.

"Kind of sucks, doesn't it?" She asked moodily. Jack turned and looked at her, and raised an eyebrow.

"What?" He asked. Violet shrugged.

"Being told to stay behind." She replied, angrily. "Now you know what's it's like to be me." She remembered all those times Jack, or Kate, had tried to force her to stay behind on many dangerous missions. Most of the times, she ignored them and chased after them anyway. Who were they to tell her what to do?

Jack didn't respond to Violet, he only laughed a little, turning back to Kate. Violet felt ticked off - she wasn't trying to joke with him, she was downright _angry_ at him, _angry_ at everything. Didn't anybody care about what she thought about this whole immenent rescue thing? _I'm just invisible._

"Kate, I don't trust Locke." Jack said suddenly. Violet rolled her eyes to herself. _No kidding!_ Even Kate gave him a look.

"Really." She said sarcastically.

"I want you to go with Sayid." Jack added.

"What, you don't trust him?"

"I trust Sayid just fine, but like I said, it's Locke I don't trust." He paused, taking a breath. "Go with them."

Kate placed her hands on her hips and gave him a level look.

"And what's gonna stop Locke from doing the same thing to me that he did to Naomi?" She asked bitterly. Violet could feel the tension. Kate felt Jack was letting her go into a dangerous situation without any kind of remorseful feelings.

But Jack just shrugged casually.

"Because Sawyer will protect you." He said simply.

Violet looked away then. She didn't need to see the look on Kate's face to know that stung a little.

Kate gave a final nod to Jack, and headed toward Sayid, who was gathering up his knapsack. Violet tugged on Vincent's leash and began to follow. She was quickly surprised when Kate wheeled around and looked her right in the eye.

"No." She said simply. Violet stared at her.

"Sorry?" She questioned.

"You're not coming with me. You're staying here with Jack, and I'm not fightin' you on this either." Kate said with finality. Violet stared at her wide-eyed and then scoffed angrily.

"You're serious! You're _actually_ serious! What was all that crap about earlier, then? Don't worry, Violet, I'm not leaving you, Violet, I won't let you go, Violet! That's bull! If you really meant that, you wouldn't go running off to the barracks while these people fix this helicopter! If you're not around-"

"Hey!" Kate said, grabbing hold of her arms. "I made a promise to you, and I don't plan on breaking it, okay? I'll be back to fly off this island _with_ you."

Violet only shook her head and looked away, with tears starting in her eyes.

"I want to go with you." She said again, trying to make herself sound confident and in control, but Jack walked over, having heard the conversation and shook his head.

"No, Violet, I'm with Kate on this one. Locke's insane, and he's dangerous. I'm not letting you go anywhere, and there is _no_ discussion on this." He explained. Kate looked at her and gave her agreeing nod. Violet shook her head.

She opened her mouth, ready to retaliate and then closed it. What good would it do? She felt like crap, and her anger was making it worse. She grabbed Vincent's leash and ran off toward the same tree she was sitting under earlier. Kate called after her.

"Violet, I'll be back real soon, okay?" She tried, but got no response.

Kate took a glance at Jack, who gave her a reassuring nod, and with that, Kate took off with Sayid and Miles.

Violet watched them go, as she was left behind with Daniel and Frank. She sighed, petting Vincent softly. Left behind, she would always be left behind.

* * *

_1998_

_The seats in the waiting area were scratchy on her legs. She wondered how much longer they would have to sit here. She wondered how much longer she would have to sit here and not have anybody tell her why Katie was crying so hard when she got that phone call. When was somebody going to tell her where her mom was? When was somebody going to tell her why they had to come to the hospital, where Violet was told to wait in a small room by herself, while Katie went to talk to some doctors?_

_Violet kicked the table in front of her, feeling a brief satisfaction when it made a loud noise. Maybe someone had forgotten she was in here - maybe if she made enough noise, someone would open the door and rescue her. Katie had to be around somewhere. Maybe she would hear her._

_Violet sighed. This was _boring!_ What were eight-year-olds supposed to do with no books or toys? Didn't anybody ever think of that? She really doubted it._

_Then she heard her._

_It sounded far away, but Katie was her sister. She would know if she was screaming from across town!_

_It brought Violet to life, and she jumped from her seat, not even caring she was told not to move, and began running down the hospital's linolium floors toward the sounds of her big sister's shrieks. They rocked through Violet's body like a savage sea, thrashing up against every part of her. What was wrong? She was crying earlier, what was wrong? What had gotten her so upset?_

_Violet turned the corner, and there was Katie, kneeling on the ground, hands wrapped tightly into her dark hair, and burying her face into her legs. Her screams echoed off the walls and they paralyzed Violet, who could only stare, wide-eyed at her sister. She didn't even noticed the nurse wearing Tazmanian devil scrubs coming toward her slowly, as a doctor tried to put his arm on Katie's shoulder, who took a violent swing at him._

_Violet didn't hear a word the nurse was saying at her, and she pushed her hand away when she tried to take it. The nurse would take her back to that room, and she wasn't going anywhere. Katie was in trouble. _Maybe she's sick. Maybe that's why we're at the hospital.

_Violet, feeling her own tears in her eyes, not even understanding, not even knowing what was wrong, went to her, went to Katie. She felt the nurse's hand on her shoulder, trying to stop her, but she mimicked Katie, and swatted her away._

_Violet dropped to her knees, next to her sister, and prayed to God Katie wouldn't try to hit her like she did the doctor._

_Instead, Katie looked up, as though she could sense Violet's presence, and in an instant, engulfed her little sister in her shaking arms. Violet grabbed hold of Katie, afraid to let go, afraid if she did, her sister would somehow slip away from her._

_"Katie...what?" She asked quietly, squeezing so tight, her arms hurt._

_And then she said it._

_Said it, and Violet tried to understand._

_Dead._

_Mommy's dead._

_Violet remembered the time when a baby bird fell from a nest in her backyard. Her mommy had told her then that the baby bird was dead, but the next day, it wasn't there. Violet imagined it was flying around somewhere, maybe he found another tree. Dead didn't make sense._

_It didn't make sense now._

_Violet held her sister tight, wishing she could understand why her sister was so upset. Didn't she know her mommy was just around somewhere? She was probably home by now._

_But Katie kept crying and the doctors kept saying how sorry they were. Violet began to cry too, but she didn't understand why, not then. It was just so sad, whatever was going on._


	12. Left Alone

****

Chapter Twelve: Left Alone

Kate followed behind Sayid and Miles through the jungle, feeling like a horrible person. She knew how much it was killing Violet to be left behind once again, but this time it was different. Kate understood how Violet must feel - with rescue so close a possibility, how dare Kate just leave her alone? Kate knew Violet feared they would force her on the helicopter and leave Kate behind, but Kate knew that would never happened. Jack wouldn't leave the island without her - he wouldn't rest until he found her. But Kate didn't expect Violet to understand that. Kate just hoped Violet would trust her, just this once. She wasn't going to leave her, she _couldn't_.

Still, she wondered how Violet would be when she returned. Would she be evasive and short with her? She didn't doubt it. She knew Violet would be safe while she was away - Jack would stay with her, and as much as she hated to admit it, Juliet too.

Kate sighed, ignoring the conversations going on between Miles and Sayid. Thankfully it wasn't very long before the reached the Barracks.

Kate didn't know what to expect. Locke had been a member of their camp since the plane crashed, but then when they had all been captured by the Others during their rescue attempt for Jack, Locke had gone off to join the Others. Then he showed up to throw a knife in Naomi's back and took half the camp with him. He really was the last person Kate wanted to see, and truth be told, he scared her. What was he capable of now that he had spent some time with the Others? Was he even on their side anymore? Kate didn't know, but she was glad she had Sayid with her, just in case Locke really was as crazy as Jack made him out to be.

"It's empty." Sayid said suddenly, and Kate realized he was peeking through the bushes at the barracks that looked as though they were abandoned. Kate puckered her brow.

"I thought Locke was bringing everyone here." She said. Sayid shook his head.

"It doesn't appear that way. Perhaps they took a detour." He pointed out.

"Or maybe it's a trap." Kate added. Miles rolled his eyes.

"Wow, you were all on the same plane, and this is the trust you have for each other?" He asked. Sayid gave him a look that told him to keep his mouth shut, and as Kate and Sayid cocked their guns, they quietly entered the barracks, looking over their shoulders and passing through the houses.

It was dead silent, and Kate was beginning to think there was nobody here besides the three of them, but she nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard what sounded like loud banging.

"Do you hear that?" Kate asked. Sayid nodded, and pointed toward the direction it was coming from.

They followed the sound of the banging and realized it was coming from inside one of the houses. Sayid motioned Kate and Miles to stay behind him, as he went in first, his gun held ready.

Silence ensued, and they all kept their eyes peeled and ears sharp, until they heard the banging again. It was definitely coming from inside this house. Sayid pointed to a closet, and sure enough, that was where the banging was rooted. Sayid motioned for Kate to watch his back, and as she held her gun up, she felt her heart racing as Sayid kicked down the door.

She couldn't have prepared herself for what was on the other side.

Hurley was bound and gagged, looking up at them with wide eyes.

* * *

Sayid had untied Hurley and Kate was pouring him a glass of water while Hurley explained what had happened.

"Locke's crazy, guys, Jack was right. He's off his rocker man. He just left me here. There was this chick who showed up, she was from the freighter, and Locke kept her hostage. I said it was a bad idea, and he left me here, tied up so I wouldn't follow. But he's crazy, dude. He said that Walt told him to kill Naomi." He explained. Sayid raised an eyebrow.

"Walt?" He asked. Hurley shook his head.

"Dude, don't ask, I just decided to leave that part alone, but Locke says the guys from the freighter are here to kill us." He turned to Miles, who he knew was from the freighter. He swallowed. "So...like, are you?"

Miles turned and stared at Hurley with a mischievous grin.

"Not yet."

Kate rolled her eyes, handing the glass of water to Hurley, and crossed her arms. She couldn't help but wonder how Violet was doing.

* * *

Violet was watching Frank, who was checking something with the helicopter. Jack was sitting down under a tree, watching for signs of Juliet to return, and Daniel was running around, setting up some kind of contraption in the middle of the valley. Violet was watching Frank with a worried curiosity. Every groan he let out gave her hope the helicopter wasn't fixable, and they would have to stay on the island after all.

She was also curious about something else - when he and Juliet were talking, he had known she wasn't on the plane because he claimed to have memorized the flight's manifest. She shivered - who on earth were these people?

Frank looked up and noticed he had an audience. He waved his arm at her.

"What's on your mind, kid?" He asked. Violet snapped out of it and quickly felt embarrassed at having been caught watching him.

Shyly, she moved a little closer, bringing Vincent with her.

"Did you...did you really memorize the flight's manifest?" She wanted to know. Frank laughed out loud.

"Yeah, I did." He looked over at her. "Which one are you?"

Violet swallowed, not sure if it was such a good idea to disclose any information, but what did it matter? Jack was a few feet away. If he was really dangerous, which he hardly seemed to be, Jack would be at her side with his gun in seconds.

"Violet, Violet Deville." She replied meekly. Frank squinted his eyes.

"Violet Deville, huh?" He nodded. "Oh yeah, you know you were one of only four kids on that flight. What happened to the rest of them?"

Violet clammed up. She knew there had been two kids from the tail end section of the plane, Hurley told her all about that from what he had learned from Libby. They had been taken by the Others.

But the other kid was Walt. The Others had taken him too. She had known he was at the same compound before she even found him. It was a feeling she had, the same feeling she had when Boone died. It was something strange that had happened since she met Walt. Sometimes she felt things. It wasn't something she had ever been able to explain, but now that she thought about it, the Others had taken all _four_ of the kids, but she had been let go. Now Walt was gone - the Others had let him go too, but not where Violet wanted him. He apparently went back home with his dad. Thinking about Walt made her sick to her stomach, and made her want to cry.

* * *

_Day 55 on island_

_She had been trying to escape from the Others' compound when it happened. Whether it was fate, good luck or that strange feeling she got whenever she was around Walt, she ran right into a glass wall that was holding Walt on the other side._

_"Walt!" She called, as she pounded on the glass. The boy turned and as soon as Violet saw Walt's eyes staring at her in surprise, she began to cry._

_"Violet?" Walt yelled out as he jumped from the bed and ran toward the glass, pressing his hand up against the glass where Violet's hand was still resting. "I knew it, I knew you were here." _

_"Walt, are you okay?" Violet asked, struggling to keep herself from crying any more than she already was. She had found Walt. Her feeling had been right all along._

_"I'm okay, are you?" Walt asked. Violet shook as she spoke._

_"I'm not hurt, if that's what you mean." She replied. "How long have you been here?"_

_"The night I left. They took me from the raft." Walt said. "They took you the same night, didn't they?" Violet swallowed hard._

_"Yes." She replied. "Did you know they were coming for me?" Walt shook his head._

_"Not until after it happened. I...I knew you weren't safe, but I didn't know what was going to happen." He sighed. "Sorry Violet."_

_"I'm the one who should be sorry. I should have listened to you." Violet stared at Walt for a moment, not saying anything. She felt no fear, even knowing they would be looking for her._

_"What are they doing to you?" Walt asked, looking around his room every few seconds. Violet knew in the back of her mind they would be coming soon. If they had Walt's room bugged like they had hers bugged, they would know she was here. She didn't care; she had to talk to him._

_"They're making me answer questions, about Kate and Jack, and Sawyer, and...you. I don't know why they want to know so much." She replied. "What are they doing to you?" _

_"They make me do tests." Walt said._

_"Tests? What kinds of tests?"_

_"Violet, they're coming. You should run."_

_"I can't leave you here, Walt!"_

_"You have to, they're coming! If you don't run now, they'll come and get you." _

_"Walt-"_

_"You said you should have listened to me before, so listen to me now!"_

_"Walt, I knew you were here, I'm not leaving now!"_

_"Behind you, Violet." Violet swung around and saw Juliet at the end of the hallway, walking toward Violet calmly, talking into her walkie talkie, as Violet continued talking to Walt._

_"Walt, what are they making you do?"_

_"Violet, run!"_

_"I found Deville. I'm bringing her to her room now."_

_"What do they want with us Walt?" _

_"Violet!"_

_"Have Thom bring down something to calm her down. I think she's going to try and put up a fight."_

_Before Violet even realized what was going on, she saw a man enter Walt's room, running over to the glass where Walt was still trying to convince Violet to run away._

_"Walt! Watch out!" Violet pleaded as the man grabbed Walt's arms and started yanking him away from the window. "Walt!" Walt kicked and yelled at the man who was taking him away._

_"Violet, go!" Walt managed to say as the man dragged him away from the window._

_"Walt, I'm not leaving here without you!" Violet screamed, "Let him go!" _

* * *

Violet was waiting under the tree, feeling as though she were close to drifting in and out of consciousness. She was so dehydrated, and passing out earlier hadn't helped either.

Her head up against the tree, Vincent's paw in her lap, she watched as Daniel continuously shot rockets up into the sky, and muttered incoherently as he spoke to a woman on the other end of his satellite phone. Violet shook her head. She didn't know what was up with Daniel, but whatever it was, he was strange. She made sure to stay far away from him. Maybe insanity was contagious.

Jack was over by Frank, discussing something humourous by the looks of it, Jack was laughing. _Laughing._ Violet wondered how he could possibly be laughing, what with half the members of the camp running off with Locke, who was apparently holding a woman hostage, what with Kate running off _toward _that same man, what with Charlie being dead! Violet wanted to punch him for laughing. How _dare_ he?

She cuddled up to Vincent, and forced herself not to think of Charlie.

* * *

_February, 2005_

_"Ms. Austen, you do realize what you're getting yourself into here, don't you?" Judge Trent asked as he looked over at Kate with raised eyebrows. Kate swallowed. Her lawyer was sitting beside her, and the judge was on the other side of the table. Her lawyer said this would be a piece of cake, but now, Kate wasn't so sure._

_"I'm...I'm not sure what you mean." Kate replied, sharing a glance with her lawyer. The judge sighed heavily._

_"I _mean_, Ms. Austen, that under your situation, it's iffy, at best." The judge paused. "Need I remind you that you are a convicted criminal, sentenced to go to jail when you landed at LAX? I don't know if you being a victim of a plane crash will help take away a count of first-degree murder." _

_"Look, I've explained my testimony about all that already." Kate said with a bit of edge. Judge Trent nodded._

_"Yes, I know Ms. Austen, but I'm just laying out the facts here. The fact is, there is a very good chance you will go to jail once this goes to trial. That situation alone is cause for concern here." He explained._

_"I understand that, but I'm still asking for it." Kate said without a moment's hesitation. Judge Trent sighed once again._

_"Legally, she's a ward under Australia's law. She was residing there with her sister before the plane crashed..."_

_"Look I get that there's a lot of legal stuff to consider here, okay? I know Violet was in Australia, but she was on that plane to meet her father. This is a really complicated situation. Violet's really upset about a lot of things. Her sister died in the crash, she found out her father has committed suicide. She's got no one left in this world, and you want to ship her back off to Australia to some, what, orphanage or something? How is that fair for someone who's been through what she's been through? What _we've_ been through? She needs a lot of care right now, and the only people who have been there for her are the people who survived the crash. She's not going to get any better if she's put with strangers." Kate exclaimed, clinging to the edge of the table tightly. They couldn't, they _wouldn't_..._

_Judge Trent sighed, sharing a glance with the lawyer, who up until now, had remained silent._

_"Your honor, I agree with Ms. Austen's case. They've all been through a trauma, but for a teenage girl...we always make decisions that are in a child's best interest, your honor, and I believe it is in Violet's best interest to stay with Ms. Austen and her son to ensure a sense of familiarity and consistency in her life." Duncan explained. Kate looked back over at the judge, and felt her heart hammering in her chest. Don't say no, she willed, she promised Violet she would fight for her. She couldn't bear the thought of having to send Violet back to Australia, by herself. She swallowed._

_Finally, the judge gave a nod of his head._

_"Alright, I'll draw up temporary foster placement documents for you, Ms. Austen. I'm allowing you legal guardianship over Violet Rose Deville until your trial. After that, we'll make further decisions, but I must inform you, Ms. Austen, if you are sentenced to jail, we will have no choice but to send the girl back to Australia." Judge Trent explained, gathering his paper's and shaking Duncan's hand._

_Kate felt her whole body relaxing. That was it. Violet was safe, she was hers, at least until the trial. No, she wouldn't tell Violet that. They would cross that bridge when they got there. Right now, she was just thankful she was able to keep her promise to Violet for a little while longer._

_She thanked Duncan, and left the room, where she saw Violet holding a baby Aaron not far away in the waiting area. Aaron was delicately gnawing on Violet's finger, who was looking at the floor absently. Kate approached the two with a smile._

_"Hey." She said quietly. Violet looked up with a start and jumped to her feet, clinging to Aaron tightly. Her eyes were purple, her face pale. She had been up all night worrying about this. So had Kate._

_"W-what did he say?" Violet asked worriedly. Kate offered a smile._

_"You're not going anywhere, kid!" She exclaimed, and wrapped her arms around Violet, who clung back fiercely. Kate breathed out. After everyone they had lost on the island, she couldn't bear to lose Violet too._


	13. Bait

**Chapter Thirteen: Bait**

Hurley decided to stay where he was, but Kate and Sayid felt they needed to do a more thorough seach of the barracks. Hurley said he hadn't been tied up in the closet for long; maybe Locke and everyone else were still here.

Miles stayed with Hurley, against Sayid's better judgment. He didn't trust him, but he was unarmed. Besides, they wouldn't be gone for very long. Still, Kate left Hurley her gun.

Kate and Sayid entered through the front door of one house and out the back, weaving their way through, armed and Sayid held his gun at the ready. They found nothing.

Then they entered Ben's house. Kate knew it was his because she recognized Alex's photos on the wall. She was, after all, his daughter.

Kate and Sayid split up and decided to search through the house separately as they had in the other few houses. Kate shivered as she saw playful photographs on the wall and mantle of Ben and Alex. Kate couldn't help but feel grateful that Violet had stayed behind. Violet had a healthy fear of Benjamin Linus, ever since he strapped her to that chair and sent shocks through her that Jack said put her into some kind of respiratory distress. Juliet had been the one to save her. Still, Kate didn't think Violet needed any reminders. Kate knew how _she_ herself felt about it; she wanted to kill him for it.

Kate opened a door and entered a bedroom she guessed was Ben's. Quietly, she checked the closet and found nothing but old clothes. Giving up, she turned to leave, but her heart stopped. Sawyer had entered the room. He was closing the door behind him, and he put his finger to his mouth. Kate's heart pounded. This was a setup.

"Sayid!" She shouted as a warning, ignoring the anger on Sawyer's face.

Kate heard scuffling outside. She doubted it was good for Sayid. If Sawyer was here, it probably meant Locke was too. Hurley had been used as bait. They _knew_ they were coming.

Kate shot Sawyer a death glare and sat down on the bed. Sawyer rolled his eyes and stood by the door, seemingly guarding it. Kate breathed out.

"So, what, I'm your prisoner or something?" She spat? Sawyer managed a small smile.

"Why? That turn you on?"

"You're disgusting."

"Look, I'm _sorry_ okay?" He paused. "I'm surprised you don't have Short Stack in tow. She usually follows you everywhere."

"Yeah well I told her she couldn't come. It was too risky." She narrowed her eyebrows. "Clearly, I was right."

"_I'm_ not dangerous! No one's gonna get hurt." Sawyer replied. Kate rolled her eyes.

"Why're you with Locke anyway?" She asked.

"Why're you with _Jack?_" Sawyer retorted. Kate could almost feel the jealousy radiating through the room. Kate couldn't win. Between Jack and Sawyer, they always talked negatively about the other. She couldn't figure out why.

Kate swallowed.

"I'm with Jack because I believe he can get us off this island." She replied.

"See, that's just it, Kate. I'm not looking to leave." He paused. "Come on Kate, let's face it. There ain't nothing back in the real world worth going back for. There ain't nothing there for me."

"What's here that's so much better?"

"Let me ask you something, Freckles. Why do _you_ want to go back? From what I can remember, you were in handcuffs on that plane. You think that's gonna change if you go back? Face it, Kate, the only thing waiting for you is handcuffs." Sawyer explained. Kate sighed.

"Yeah, I'll figure something out."

"You're not thinking, Kate, this ain't just about you. I overheard you talking to the kid. I know what you promised her, so tell me, Kate, how do you plan to be there for her if you're gonna be hauled off to jail?" Sawyer asked. Kate looked down, as though she hadn't thought of that before. She clasped her hands together. What _would_ she do? She swallowed.

"Come on, Kate, think about it. We got it good here. Food, houses, running water, _electricity!_ We don't need to go back to the real world, Kate. Besides, I've heard Freebird talk. That kid don't want to leave. There ain't nothing back there for her either. What, were you planning on forcing her on that copter? Stay with me, Kate, we can get Violet-"

"And what, Sawyer, play _house?_ How long do you honestly think we could live like that?" Kate asked. Sawyer shrugged.

"Well, why don't we find out?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Violet was laying on the ground under a tree, Vincent lying faithfully by her side. She felt less dizzy lying down, but she didn't sleep. No matter how tired she was, she could not sleep. Everytime she thought she might drift off, images of Charlie went through her mind. Hurley said he drowned. Violet envisioned him clawing around desperately for air as his lungs slowly filled with water, filling him up with death. Hurley said he was a hero, because he turned off the jamming system, and got them all rescued, but Violet didn't believe the sacrifice was worth it. Poor Charlie. It wasn't fair.

Feeling a tear roll down her face, she heard Jack talking suddenly and footsteps approaching. Violet sat up slowly, which roused Vincent, and turned to see Juliet had returned with Desmond. Violet sighed, leaning back up against the tree.

Jack, Frank and Desmond began talking but Violet couldn't hear them. She didn't care. It probably had something to do with Penny. Charlie had said it was not Penny's boat, so maybe it was something to do with that.

She tickled Vincent behind his ear and sighed.

"Do you miss Walt?" She asked, as Vincent's brown eyes met hers. "I know. Me too."

"Here, Violet." A voice interrupted, and Violet looked up to see Juliet kneeling down to sit next to her, handing her a bottle of water. Violet breathed out and took the water.

"Thanks." She said quietly, staring over at Jack and Desmond. She could feel Juliet's eyes on her.

"Is there a problem?" She asked. Violet met her eyes.

"What?"

Juliet motioned toward the bottle.

"With the water." She explained. Violet shook her head.

"Not that I know of."

"Why aren't you drinking it?"

Violet shrugged.

"Maybe you forgot the whole reason you passed out was because-"

"Alright, I'm drinking it." Violet unscrewed the cap and took a sip. Geez, why was everyone always so paranoid around her?

Juliet was quiet after that, but she didn't leave either. Violet breathed out, making a real effort to take small sips of her water. She knew she was thirsty, but it was strange. Now that she had the water, she felt sick to her stomach thinking about drinking it. Still, she knew if she didn't, Juliet would make a fuss about it and probably tell Jack.

"Jack told me that's Walt's dog." Juliet said suddenly. Violet felt his name throb in her fiercely, and she forced herself to steady her breathing. _Walt..._

"Yeah, he, well, you know, he couldn't really take him on the raft so...he left him with me." Violet still remembered that day so clearly, so vividly. It all felt so surreal, and yet so _real._ Vincent was Walt's best friend growing up, and he just left him with her. But Violet knew why; the two shared a connection they had never been able to explain. To Walt, it just felt right to leave Vincent with Violet, and to Violet, it just felt right to take him. There had been no real argument; the two just..._knew._

Violet still felt guilty about Vincent running off, fending for himself alone in this jungle all this time, but Violet knew it wasn't her fault. She had been taken, kidnaped; what could she have done?

Remembering her time as a captive with the Others made her think about Walt, and about the man who dragged him away, and about Juliet telling Violet Walt was truly gone for good.

Violet cleared her throat.

"Is it true?" She asked suddenly. Juliet turned to her.

"Is what true?" She pressed.

"What you told me, back at the Hydra when..., well, when I was a prisoner," it felt weird talking about that with Juliet. She _had_, after all, been there the day she was kidnaped. She threw the dart, "you told me Walt was gone. That I would never see him again. You never told me why. Did...did they kill him?"

Violet closed her eyes. She still felt Walt inside of her somehow; that connection they had was still there, but ever so slightly. Ever since that man had him dragged away, that connection had been severed, but only just. Violet still felt something small. She knew he wasn't dead. But he wasn't close. Juliet had told a lot of lies, and though she had proven herself to be trustworthy, Violet hoped just this once, she had lied about Walt. Maybe he was still on the island somewhere, and she could go find him!

But Juliet shook her head.

"No, they didn't kill him, but Ben sent them home." She explained. Violet puckered her brow, feeling her heart quicken.

"Home?" She asked, dreading what that meant.

"Ben made a deal with Michael. If he brought Kate, Jack and James back to us, he would let him and his son go back home...to New York." Juliet waited to let VIolet reacted, but Violet hardly moved, so Juliet continued. "They gave him a boat, and a bearing to follow, and both Michael and Walt ended up on another island, where they got on a boat and made it back to New York; they're safe."

"How do you _know_ they're safe?" Violet felt angry. Walt wasn't here. He wasn't anywhere _near_ her! Juliet had been right; she would never see Walt again. _Unless...unless we really get off this island._ Violet felt sick.

"We tracked them, followed them to make sure they arrived back home safely. Walt is in New York right now, and he's okay." Juliet explained.

Violet didn't say anything; all she wanted to do was cry. She thought about rescue, as she stared at the helicopter. That helicopter could bring that back out to that boat, which could bring them all back to the real world. She thought if they were truly rescued, she could track down Walt, and see him again.

But then she thought about her dead father, her dead mother, her dead sister. There was nobody waiting for her out there. Why would she want to go back?

Violet leaned over and rested her head on Vincent's shiny gold coat, and stared out toward the clearing where Kate and Sayid had left with Miles hours ago. Violet let out a sigh.

"Hey," she heard Juliet's voice beside her, quiet and comforting, "she'll be back. Don't worry."

* * *

Juliet tried to convince Violet to sleep while they waited, but Violet couldn't. She thought of Charlie. She thought of Kate. She thought of Walt. She thought of Claire, of Hurley, of Sawyer, of everyone who left with Locke. She thought about all those people on that freighter, whom Ben said were there to kill them. She thought about Charlie again.

That was when she heard Juliet getting up, and Jack and Desmond shouting at someone. Violet sat up and saw Sayid coming through the clearing, and with him, was the woman Violet guessed was Charlotte. Violet stood up and waited, expecting to see Miles and Kate following close behind them. But there was no Miles, and worse,

there was no Kate.

Violet felt her heart hammering hard in her chest. Jack said Locke was crazy; he _had_, after all, killed Naomi. Violet's stomach dropped. Would he kill Kate? _Really_ kill Kate? Violet held her stomach as she walked over to Jack, Desmond, Frank, Daniel and Juliet, who all waited patiently for Sayid and Charlotte to catch up. Violet clung to Vincent's leash so hard, she felt her fingernails digging into her hand, drawing blood. She didn't feel the pain.

Sayid approached, and before Violet could ask, Jack stepped forward.

"Where's Kate?" He asked quietly. Violet stared at Sayid with desperate eyes. _Don't be dead, don't be dead!_ She begged him with her eyes. Sayid breathed out and averted Violet's gaze, staring directly at Jack.

"She decided to stay with Locke." Sayid said simply.

But that hit Violet worse than what she had thought. Kate hadn't been killed, or even _kidnaped._ She stayed with Locke. Violet's mouth felt dry and her head was spinning. If Sayid was right, it meant...it meant Kate left her behind. _No._

Frank began asking Sayid about Miles, and Violet barely heard Sayid explain how he traded Miles for Charlotte, because she was making a beeline for the trees, pulling Vincent along quickly. Every stride she took hurt her exhausted legs, and made her head spin, but she would _not_ accept Kate would just leave her, not without an explaination!

"Hey!" Jack shouted in her direction when they noticed her absence. Violet ignored him, quickening her pace. Maybe she could outrun him, she thought, as she felt tears flying off her face. She knew he was chasing after her, she could hear him, but she didn't care. She _had_ to get to the barracks.

Just as she expected, she felt Jack's rough hand grab one of her arms and pull her back. She struggled quick, yelling at him, but he grabbed both her arms and held her steady in front of him. She looked down, trying to hide the angry tears.

"What are you doing, Violet?" He asked. Violet tried pulling away again, but he held her strong.

"I'm going to the barracks, Jack! I gotta know why Kate would stay there! It doesn't make any sense, she was so anal about wanting to get off this island, getting _me_ off this island! Why would she _say_ all that and then stay with Locke?" She screamed out, weakly trying to pull away from Jack, who wouldn't let go.

Jack stared at Violet for a moment, as though wondering the same things, but he decided instead to play the adult, and he shook his head.

"Violet, I don't know why Kate would decide to stay with Locke, but it's Kate, and she must have a good reason. We have to trust that."

"_Trust_ that? No, Jack! We have to go find her! We need to know _why_!" She screamed again, but Jack shook his head a second time.

"No, Violet, you are _not_ going running off into the jungle by yourself, and nobody here is either. You're not going anywhere, kid." He said authoritatively, staring at Violet evenly. "She'll be back."

Violet stared back defiantly, but with all eyes on hers, the freighter folk, Jack, Desmond and Juliet, she really had no choice. Even if she _tried_ to run off, they would all be on her in moments. In her weakened state, she would be helpless. _Face it, even if I was strong enough, they'd still catch me._

She had no choice but to follow Jack back to the group, looking back toward the jungle. She didn't believe Jack. She had a bad feeling about this, and inside, she felt a burning anger forming toward Kate. _How could she?_

By this time, Frank had fixed the helicopter. Violet had been so transfixed on everything going on inside her own head, she hadn't even noticed the repairs had been made. Sayid was helping Daniel load Naomi's body onto the copter, and Frank, Sayid and Desmond got on, and moments later, the copter took off and flew away.

Juliet later explained to Violet that Sayid and Desmond were going ahead to check out the freighter and make sure it was safe. That Daniel and Charlotte were staying behind. Violet heard her, but she didn't make any sense of it. She didn't care who stayed or left anymore. Kate left her, and that tore through her like a knife.


	14. Flashes From the Future

**Chapter Fourteen: Flashes From The Future**

_2006_..._part 1_

_Violet was waiting patiently in the front seat of a courtroom, fiddling with her thumbs nervously. She knew she wasn't supposed to be here, but she didn't care. There were times when rebellious behaviour was necessary._

_She continued to wait, as more people came in. Thank goodness the press weren't allowed in. She had already been hounded by the press when she came in. They hadn't expected her to be there. They had harrassed her with questions she ignored as she elbowed her way through the crowd. _

_Finally, after what seemed like hours, the back doors opened, and there she was._

_Kate._

_With her lawyer by her side, Kate walked down to the front of the courtroom, ignoring the looks of all the people watching her. Violet swallowed. Kate was going to kill her for coming. She had asked her to stay home with the baby. As if._

_Kate looked stone cold, ignoring the judgmental looks of onlookers, never looking at the jury. But she did see Violet. Violet shrank in her seat a little, as Duncan, Kate's lawyer, led her to a seat at the front of the courtroom. Violet was directly behind them. Kate quickly turned around to talk to Violet._

_"What are you doing here, Violet?" Kate hissed, ignoring the onlookers. Violet breathed out, and Kate continued. "I told you I didn't want you here!" _

_"Did you really think I wouldn't be here?" Violet asked quietly. Honestly, this was far too important for Kate to go through it alone. But Kate was stubborn._

_"Violet, I don't want you hearing any of this stuff." Kate hissed again, getting nervous. Violet swallowed. She understood. To this day, Violet still never knew what Kate had done. She knew she had been a fugitive. She knew this trial was to decide her fate, but Violet didn't know how bad it was, or how serious, because she didn't know what Kate had done. She had never cared._

_"I already told you, it doesn't matter what you've done. I...I just wanted to be here...for you." Violet said. Kate wasn't able to say anything else on the matter, because the judge called the courtroom into order. Violet swallowed, holding her hands in her lap, waiting as the judge began reading off the charges. _

_"Katherine Ann Austen, you are standing trial for fraud, arson, assault on a federal officer, assault with a deadly weapon, grand larceny, grand theft auto and murder in the first degree." The judge read boredly. _

_Violet's stomach dropped. Everything else would have meant nothing, but it was that last bit - murder in the first degree. It shook Violet to her very core. Never had she thought..._

_But still, did it really matter? That had all happened so long ago now. I mean, it had all happened before the island, and the person Violet met on the island was no murderer. She was the one person who helped Violet through. No, Kate wasn't a murderer. There was an explanation. She'd never be convicted. Not if they knew Kate. It's in the past, Violet figured. _

_"Ms. Austen, do you understand these charges as I have read them?" The judge asked._

_"Yes, your honor." Kate replied quietly._

_"And how do you plead?" The judge asked._

_"Not guilty, your honor." _

_Violet smiled to herself. She knew it, they had it all wrong, they were wrongly accusing her of murder. This was all a mistake._

_Suddenly, Duncan began talking._

_"Your honor, I'd like to discuss freeing the accused pending bail." He said. The prosecutor immediately shook her head, standing up._

_"Your honor, with all due respect, Ms. Austen is considered a flight risk. Considering her history, I would suggest Ms. Austen will try to run if she is allowed bail." The horrible woman said. Violet felt like sticking her tongue out. She didn't care _how_ old she was._

_"Your honor, Ms. Austen has one of the most recognizable faces in America right now. Where would she go?" Duncan asked. Violet breathed out. He was right. This was stupid._

_"I agree with the prosecutor, Duncan. I'm sorry, Ms. Austen, but bail is denied. You will be detained and held in custody until the date of your trial." The finality of the gavel made Violet's head spin. No, this couldn't be happening. _

_A guard came over and placed handcuffs on Kate. Violet ran past the crowd of people and up to Kate._

_"Uncuff her!" She yelled at the guard. "You can't just put her in jail. Do you know who she _is?_" _

_Kate stared at her, putting on that face that Violet knew she forced when things were bad. She remembered it on the island. Kate always tried to act like things weren't as bad as they really were. She saw that look now, and it made her sick._

_"Don't worry, this is only temporary. The trial's in a few days. Don't be upset, look Violet, I need you to go back home and take care of Aaron. He needs you right now, okay? This will be over soon." With that, the guard took hold of Kate and took her away. Violet could only watch with tears in her eyes, as Kate was taken to jail._

* * *

Kate forced herself not to think about Violet. By now, Sayid had returned to the rest of the group and no doubt told them all that Kate decided to stay. Kate couldn't even begin to imagine the anger and hurt Violet must be feeling, but she couldn't think about that. Not now. She had her reasons for having to stay, and she wasn't planning on staying for long. There was just some things she had to do first. Besides, if she knew Jack, there was no way he would leave the island without her, so she wasn't concerned about them all getting on the helicopter and leaving her behind.

But she knew Violet wouldn't know that.

Kate was on a mission, as she crossed the barracks front lawns to the house where Locke was staying. She had no idea how this was going to work, or even if it _was_ going to work, but she had to know. She had to figure this all out.

She knocked on his door and waited patiently. Sawyer had told her this morning where he was staying. Kate didn't know what to expect, exactly. Locke had definitely become a different person since she had seen him leave with the Others when she, Sayid and Violet were held captive at the barracks not long ago. The next time she had seen him after that was when he threw a knife in Naomi's back.

He definitely wasn't the same person.

Locke answered the door and stared at her, surprised to see her.

"Hello, Kate." He said.

"Hey John." Kate replied, ignoring her quickened heartrate.

"What can I do for you?"

This was it, Kate wasn't sure how he was going to react, but she had to figure this out. She couldn't stay here forever, Violet would never speak to her again if she did, but she had to do this first.

"Look, John, I want to know where you're keeping that guy, Miles." Kate said simply. Just like she had expected, Locke looked surprised.

"Why do you want to know that?" He asked.

"I need to talk to him."

"Why?"

"Well, John, that's personal." Kate replied, crossing her arms. Locke breathed out.

"Sorry, Kate, it's not going to happen." Before Kate had a chance to argue, Locke continued. "Dinner's at six if you're hungry." And with that, he shut the door in her face.

Kate thought about knocking again, but she knew it would be a lost cause. Locke wasn't going to budge - she knew that much about him.

Still, what was she going to do now? She _had_ to talk to Miles.

And it was as she was coming down off of Locke's front porch that she saw Hurley walking away, holding a tray of food. He was bringing food to Miles.

Without a second thought, she ran up to him, and flashed a grin.

"Hi Hurley, what are you doing?" She asked.

"Hey Kate, oh I'm just bringing that freighter guy some food." Hurley replied.

"Oh, do you want me to do it?"

"Oh dude, that'd be great, he freaks me out." Hurley gladly passed the tray over to Kate.

"That's great, he's still in the rec room, right?" Kate asked, knowing full well he wasn't there anymore. Locke had moved him, but she didn't know where. Predictable Hurley answered casually.

"Oh no, he was moved to the boat house." Hurley swallowed when he noticed the look of surprise on Kate's face. "You totally just scooby-doo'd me, didn't you?" Kate breathed out and patted him on the shoulder.

"Sorry, Hurley, I had to."

Hurley sighed.

"Just, you know..., don't-"

"I won't tell anyone." And with a final smile for Hurley, Kate headed in the direction of the boathouse.

* * *

_2006...part 2_

_Violet still felt confused and upset as the cab pulled up in front of her house. She was glad the press didn't follow her, although they never would have even known she left the courthouse. She left out the back; nobody even saw her._

_She made sure she was done with the tears. The cab driver didn't even bother asking why she was wearing sunglasses on a rainy day, but she had to pull herself together now. She had to face Aaron. He would pick up on it if she was upset._

_She came into the house and was immediately struck with how strange it was that Kate wouldn't be coming home tonight. It was too weird. What was she going to say to Aaron?_

_She heard voices from down the hall. The nanny was playing with Aaron in the playroom, no doubt. Violet removed her sunglasses and breathed in deeply. Dropping her bag to the floor, she went around the corner to find a little blonde nearly two-year-old trying to put a puzzle together with the help of the nanny, Veronica. Violet just stopped in the doorway and smiled. She couldn't believe how much this kid had grown over the last year and a bit. It was too bizarre. It only seemed like yesterday they were all in the jungle with Claire..._

_"Hey Violet." The nanny jumped up off the floor, leaving Aaron with his puzzle. Violet forced a smile._

_"Was she upset that you showed up?" Veronica asked. Violet raised an eyebrow._

_"What do you think?" She asked with a small smile. Veronica laughed a little._

_"Well, she's just looking out for you. But you're a stubborn one." She replied. Violet shrugged, scratching her forehead._

_"Anyway, you can go home, Ronnie. Kate-" Violet stole a glance at Aaron, "she won't be coming home tonight. They've got her in jail. She's...she's supposed to stay there until the trial." Veronica breathed out and pulled Violet into a hug. Violet numbed herself so she wouldn't cry. She had to be strong for the little boy in the next room. He wouldn't understand. _

_"You sure you don't want me to stay?" Veronica asked. Violet nodded._

_"It's okay, I can take care of him. I'll call you if I need you though." She replied. Veronica nodded, said goodbye to Aaron and grabbed her stuff._

_"It's gonna be okay, Violet." Veronica said as she headed for the door. Violet could only manage a nod. She didn't know that, she _couldn't_ know that. She hadn't heard what Kate had done. What judge was going to accept her plea for not guilty? What if she didn't get off? What if they sentenced her for life? Violet swallowed._

_"Thanks Ronnie." She managed as Veronica headed out the door toward her car. _

_Violet closed the door behind her and locked it. _

_Now came the hard part._

_She walked into the playroom and lowered herself down to Aaron's level, who was so captivated with the puzzle._

_"Hey Aaron." Violet said quietly. Blue eyes popped up and a wide smile crossed the boy's face as he hurled himself at Violet. Violet giggled as she fell with the boy, toussling his hair. _

_"Where mommy?" Aaron asked. Violet's heart sank. Oh gosh. She breathed out._

_"Um, mommy's...well buddy, she's got some stuff to do for the next little while. So it's just you and me for a while, okay?" Violet tried. Aaron looked upset, but Violet just held him close. There were no other words to give him that he would understand. _

_"Puddle." Aaron said suddenly. Violet puckered her brow, wondering what he was talking about and it was then that she realized he was pointing at the forgotten puzzle on the ground. She smiled._

_"Pu_zzle!_" She corrected, putting him down. He went right back at his puzzle. Violet breathed out, glad that was easier than she had thought. She knew the hard part would be later when it was bedtime and the woman he saw as his mother wasn't there to read him his favourite story. Then there would be tears._

_As Violet left Aaron to his puzzle, she suddenly had a thought. An idea that would get Kate back, out of going to jail. She wasn't sure if it would work, but there was a chance, and if there was a chance, she would have to take it. That boy needed Kate, he was the closest thing he had to a mother, after Claire..._

_And as much as Violet wouldn't want to admit it, being 16 and everything, she needed Kate too._

_She picked up the phone and dialed the number that was written down on the fridge. Duncan Forester. Kate had called him so many times, but now, it was Violet's turn._

_Not even sure if he'd be back from the courthouse or not, she waited as the phone rang once, twice, and on the third ring, he answered. He must have had his phone call-forwarded to his cell, she could hear the bustling sounds of courtroom chatter surrounding his voice._

_"Violet, what can I do for you?" He asked. "I'm really sorry about Kate." He added. Violet ignored him, turning the corner to check on Aaron. Violet breathed out._

_"Mr. Forester," she said, "I need to get on that stand."_


	15. Numbing

**Chapter Fifteen: Numbing**

Violet was feeling much better already - that water Juliet had given her had really hit the spot, but she was still feeling really angry. She felt like a bloody _four-year-old!_ How dare they order her to stay put like she was a child? Kate didn't come back from the barracks. She had left her behind. Violet wanted nothing more than to march out there and demand an explanation. Instead, she found herself trekking through the jungle with Jack, Juliet, Daniel and that Charlotte woman. They were finally headed back to the beach, but Violet didn't want to go back there. Yes there would be fresh fruit and more water, that much she was looking forward to, she needed to regain her strength, but she did not want to return without finding out why Kate wasn't coming back. Sayid had said it was her choice to stay, so Locke wasn't holding her hostage or anything, but still, it didn't make any sense to Violet. There _had_ to be a reason.

Violet still thought she'd be angry, even if Kate did have a good reason.

It wasn't long before the grass became sand and they were approaching their beach home. Violet pulled Vincent along, feeling groggy and moody as Sun, Jin and others began approaching them, glad to see that everyone was alright. Questions began circulating through the crowd, especially over the introduction of a few new people. Jack cleared his throat to address the survivors.

"Okay everyone, calm down, it's okay. This is Daniel and this is Charlotte. They were on the boat. They're here to help us. Sayid and Desmond went with their pilot back to the freighter to get us all rescued!" Jack announced. Cheers erupted through the crowd and Violet closed her eyes, looking away from all the happy faces, and trying to pretend like she couldn't hear the happy cheers.

While everybody began introducing themselves to Daniel and Charlotte, Jack was asked more questions by some of the survivors, and Violet felt a hand tugging on her arm. Violet looked to her right and saw Sun pulling her away from the crowd a little ways. Sun gave her a hopeful smile.

"Where's Kate?" She asked.

Violet's stomach sank again, that familiar feeling of abandonment and anger was brewing inside of her. Without even looking at Sun, she grabbed Vincent's leash, and walked away, heading for the rocks by the ocean, the same rocks she and Walt used to sit by. Sun watched after her curiously, but Juliet quickly joined her and told her where Kate was.

* * *

Violet stayed by herself for the rest of the day, and eventually found her way back to the tent she and Kate had been sharing, and tried to get some sleep that night, but it was difficult. In fact, she was quite certain she hadn't slept at all. Everytime she closed her eyes, she thought about Charlie, about Kate.

The next morning, Violet headed to the makeshift kitchen on the beach and made herself a small fruit salad, grabbing a bottle of water to go along with it. She sat up on the bamboo table and thought about the last time she was on this beach. She was saying goodbye to Charlie, before he swam down to that station. He had tried to convince her and Claire he was going to be fine. Violet couldn't help but wonder if he had known all along that he was going to die. She shuddered at the thought.

As she ate her salad, she saw Jack walking around beside his tent, trying to use the satellite phone. He was close enough to the kitchen that Violet could make out everything that was going on.

"What's wrong?" Juliet asked, as she approached Jack.

"It's busy." He replied angrily. "I can't get through."

"Why don't you try calling a different number?" Juliet suggested. "Like 911?"

Violet sighed, sticking a piece of melon in her mouth, pretending like she didn't care what was going on. The truth was, she wished she could get that phone away from Jack, somehow, and rip it apart and throw the pieces in the ocean. But there was no way that was even a possibility, and besides, no matter how much Violet wanted to stay on the island, she could not be the one responsible for keeping everyone on the island. She had already tried that once before, by burning Michael's raft. She wouldn't do it again, she _couldn't_.

Sun joined Jack and Juliet then, and noticed the look of worry on Jack's face.

"What's the matter?" She asked. Jack looked up and cleared his throat.

"Nothing." He lied. Violet glared at him. Jack was the worst liar, even Violet could tell. Sun clued in too.

"Jack, you haven't heard from Sayid or Desmond yet, have you? Didn't they leave yesterday?" She asked. Violet swallowed, feeling her heart skipping faster. She had forgotten all about Sayid and Desmond. She had been so angry yesterday because Kate had left, she completely forgot about the helicopter. Now, she was beginning to worry.

"I'm sure everything's fine, they're probably just scoping it out before they let us know what's going on." Jack replied.

"For a whole day?" Sun asked, raising an eyebrow. Violet totally understood where she was coming from. Sayid wasn't like that - he would have contacted them right away.

"Look, everything's alright." Jack said. Violet breathed out angrily, rolling her eyes.

"Do you really believe that?" She called over, jumping down off the bamboo table. Juliet, Jack and Sun all turned and stared at her, obviously unaware she had been listening this whole time. "Do you really believe everything's alright, or is that just something you tell everyone to get them to shut up?" Jack looked surprised, and so did Sun. Violet wasn't the type to talk like this. No matter what harsh things she was thinking, she hardly ever verbalized them.

Jack looked from Sun to Juliet and then back at Violet, nodding seriously.

"Yeah, Violet, I do believe that." He said.

"What if Locke was right, what if _Ben_ was right? What if these people on the boat really _are_ bad news? What if they're here to hurt us?" Violet asked, crossing her arms. She was so sick and tired of Jack always thinking he was right.

Jack only shook his head, a familiar look of anger crossing his face.

"Locke doesn't know what he's talking about, and _Ben._ I thought you of all people would know the kind of person he is." He breathed out. "Those people aren't here to hurt us."

"Says you! You don't know everything, Jack! Charlie _died_ to tell us that boat wasn't Penny's, and if it isn't Penny's boat, then whose boat is it? You're going to trust total strangers over Charlie? You're going to let Charlie die for nothing?" Violet was screaming now, her body was shaking and she felt tears forming in her eyes as she stared back at Jack coldly, ignoring the looks of Juliet and Sun and others who had heard her outburst.

Jack only looked at her, surprised at her outburst, but Violet didn't give him the chance to respond, because she turned and took off, allowing those tears to freely flow down her face. She couldn't even allow herself to look out at the ocean, which used to be her solace, because the ocean was where Charlie drowned, the ocean was where the freighter was waiting, the ocean was the same ocean Walt left by. Everything was being taken from her, she couldn't take it anymore.

* * *

_2006...part 3_

_Violet had called Veronica early that morning, and told her why she needed her to come and watch Aaron. Veronica didn't approve, but there wasn't anything she could do about it, not without Kate there to stop her. _

_Violet knew Kate was going to be even more disapproving than Veronica was. In fact, as soon as Kate found out, it wouldn't be pleasant. That was why Violet was leaving early. She would get there before Kate was brought into the courtroom. There wouldn't be anything she could do about it._

_Duncan Forrester had tried to talk her out of it as well, telling Violet it was against Kate's wishes. Apparently, Kate had talked to her lawyer about the absolute bottom line that Violet must _not_ testify. Forrester told Violet that Kate didn't want her or Aaron involved in any way in this trial. _

_But Violet had convinced Duncan to let her testify. It didn't take much - Forrester had apparently been trying to talk Kate into letting Violet testify from the start, as a character witness. Even though Forrester would have to explain it to Kate, he agreed to let Violet take the stand._

_Violet put on her sunglasses and a baseball cap as she called a cab. She knew the press would be surrounding the courthouse, and Forrester told her he would meet her out front. He also told her to make sure she didn't say a word to the press, at least not until after the trial._

_When she arrived at the courthouse, she paid the cab driver and waited until she saw Forrester coming out of the building. Bracing herself with a steady breath, she exited the cab._

_The press immediately figured out who she was and began surrounding her with microphones and loud questions. Violet kept her eyes on the ground as Forrester placed his hand on the small of her back and pushed her through the crowd._

_"Did you get a sitter for Aaron?" Forrester asked once they were inside the courthouse. Violet nodded._

_"She doesn't know I'm here, does she?" Violet asked. _

_"No, I haven't seen her this morning yet. I gotta tell you, Violet, I'm not looking forward to her reaction." Forrester replied. _

_"I know, but I have to do this. Even you agree it's a good idea." _

_"I do, but Violet, you're still considered a minor. I could get nailed for this if Kate decides to freak out."_

_"She'll get over it," Violet offered a small smile, "Trust me, she won't be that surprised. I've never really been that good at listening to her."_

* * *

_Violet waited at the back of the courtroom like Forrester told her to. He said he wanted Violet to be out of sight until she was called to the stand. That way, Kate wouldn't have any way of speaking out against it._

_Violet ducked down in her seat when they brought Kate out through the side doors in handcuffs. It hurt her to see Kate in cuffs like that, but she had to focus on not being seen right now. She could deal with the lecture later. _If Kate is even released.

_It seemed like forever before the judge finally called the court to order, and Duncan Forrester stood up to address the courtroom._

_"Your honor, I would like to call to the stand Violet Deville."_

_A hushed gasp passed through the room and Kate's body visibly tensed, as she glared at Duncan, and then stared around the room. Violet swallowed and stood up, feeling all eyes on her, but the only gaze she returned was Kate's. As Violet made her way to the front of the courtroom, she didn't take her eyes off of Kate, who stared at her wide-eyed. She was clearly upset and clearly putting the pieces together. She knew this was Violet's idea._

_Violet walked right past her, and took the stand, swearing to tell the truth. She sat down and looked right at Kate, who simply shook her head._

_"I would like to remind the jury that Violet is called as a character witness only. Keep in mind the witness did not meet Ms. Austen until after the alleged crimes were committed." The judge said as a precursor. Violet took a breath._

_"Hello again Violet." Forrester said with a wink. Violet smiled._

_"Would you please explain to the court your relationship with Ms. Austen?" Forrester asked. Violet cleared her throat, trying to keep her voice steady. This was scarier than she thought._

_"Um, well, I met her on...on the island." Violet swallowed. She hadn't talked about the island since she left it, not really. Her whole body was shaking._

_"Can you tell me the circumstances of how you met?" Forrester asked. Violet caught Kate's gaze then. Both of them knew Violet never talked about the island, and it was a nerve-wracking moment. Not only would Violet have to open up about everything that she had kept buried for the past year, but she would have to make sure she told the right lie, the one they had all agreed had to be told in order to keep them safe. Kate looked nervous, and Violet was sure she saw a tear in her eye. Violet breathed out._

_"Well, um, our plane, it crashed in the ocean, and I got pretty hurt. My arm was cut up really badly, and Kate..." Violet looked at Kate nervously, "helped me get to shore. I'm...I'm not much of a swimmer. Kate helped with my arm too." _

_"Did you know when you first met Kate Austen that she was a wanted criminal in the United States?"_

_"Not right away, but I did find out eventually."_

_"Did you know what she was wanted for?"_

_"No, I never asked. I didn't care. Kate never acted like a criminal. She never did anything to make me worry. It didn't matter to me what she had done. I knew her as somebody different. I was never scared of her."_

_"Why?" Forrester asked. Violet swallowed, feeling a familiar twinge of pain hitting her. Memories flooded over her as she remembered that bloody body on the hill that first day on the beach, the dull pain throbbing in her arm as she had fallen to the sand to grieve for the only person she had left in her world._

_"I..." Violet felt a tear in her eye, as she looked up at Kate, who also had tears in her eyes, "my sister, my big sister Katie, she...she died in the crash. I...I was all alone and Kate, well, I don't know why, but she...she was the one who took care of me."_

_"No further questions, your honor." Forrester said, stealing a significant glance at the jury. Violet breathed out, forcing those memories of her sister back down into the depths of her soul, where she wouldn't have to deal with them. She angrily brushed a tear away from her cheek, trying not to look at Kate._

_The prosecuting attorney, Melissa Dunbrook, approached Violet. Violet tried to make herself numb. Forrester warned her about this woman; she wanted nothing more than to put Kate away, and would ask questions that might make Violet uncomfortable. _

_"Is it true, Violet, that Ms. Austen is exercising legal guardianship over you right now?" Dunbrook asked. Violet puckered her brow. That was a stupid question, no doubt that was all over Kate's file._

_"Yes." Violet answered truthfully._

_"How long have you been living under her guardianship?"_

_"Um, well I've been with her and Aaron since we were rescued, but the papers went through a few months after that."_

_"May I ask you what it feels like to live under the roof of a murderer?"_

_"Objection, your honor!" Forrester jumped to his feet, clearly angry. Violet felt her heart hammering in her chest, as Dunbrook ignored Forrester and continued, only feet away from Violet, her eyes penetrating hers._

_"Kate Austen killed her own father in cold blood! What makes you think you're safe with her?" _

_"Objection, your honor, this is uncalled for!" Forrester said again. The judge nodded._

_"Melissa, that's enough out of you. Ms. Deville, you may step down." _

_Violet, feeling tears stinging her eyes, stepped down from the stand, and headed to the back of the courtroom where she would wait for the trial to be over. _

_She shared a look with Kate, who only offered her a small smile. Violet, brushing a tear away, turned and glared at Melissa Dunbrook, who looked back with a raised eyebrow._

_"Because I've _always_ been safe with her!" Violet gave the prosecuting attorney her answer, "she's not who you think she is."_


	16. Kate's Freedom

**Chapter Sixteen: Kate's Freedom**

Kate wondered why she was still there. She wondered why, after everything she had figured out, she was still at Locke's camp, folding laundry with Claire. The baby was sleeping soundly, Claire was talking to her, but Kate didn't hear her. She was still remembering what had happened the previous night when she had gotten the chance to talk to Miles.

She had found him in the boathouse, just like Hurley had said, but he wasn't willing to talk. Not without something in return. Kate hardly thought he was in any position to be making deals, as he was tied up in the boathouse without any kind of potential of being freed, but he told Kate he would tell her everything she wanted to know, if she let him see Ben.

Well, Kate wasn't sure how that was going to happen. Locke was holding Ben captive in his basement. How was she supposed to help Miles?

But Kate needed Miles to tell her what they knew about her. What they knew could make or break Kate's decision to stay or to leave. That was why she was staying behind. Even though it seemed ridiculously impossible to get Miles and Ben together, she knew that was the only way she would learn the truth. And the truth meant a lot to her.

Still, she thought of Violet too, who had most likely made it back to the beach by now with Jack and Juliet. She tried to distance herself from thinking about Violet's cold shoulder when they returned. Kate would have to explain things, but knowing Violet, she wouldn't be too understanding right away. Violet had experienced too many people leaving in her life. With her mom and sister passing away, her father's apparent suicide and Walt being taken back to the real world with his father, Violet was no doubt feeling abandoned by many people, and for Kate to leave her behind with no promise as to when she would be back, well, she wasn't looking forward to it, to say the least.

Kate's thoughts were interrupted when the baby began to cry. Kate blinked, and realized where she was and what she was doing. She felt bad for not having heard anything Claire had been saying. She turned and smiled at Claire, who had an armful of clothes to hang. She looked at Aaron and then at Kate.

"Oh Kate, can you get him, please?" Claire asked. Kate's stomach sank as she looked at the crying baby hesitantly.

"Uh..."

"What's wrong?" Claire asked. Kate swallowed, feeling nervous. She had never been good with kids.

"It's just...well, I'm not so good with babies." She breathed out, looking at Aaron. "I don't want to make him more upset." Claire offered her a smile.

"Sure, no problem." She handed Kate her pile of clothes and reached down into Aaron's little basket, lifting the small bundle up into her arms. Aaron immediately began to settle down a little.

"Is he okay?" Kate asked. Claire smiled.

"Oh yeah, he's fine, he just can't stand being left out of a conversation." She grinned.

Kate smiled at her.

"Wow, you're so good with him." She said. Claire giggled a little with a roll of her eyes. Kate was surprised.

"What?" She inquired. Claire shrugged.

"It's just kind of funny. You know the last thing I ever thought _I'd_ be good at was being a mum." She admitted, holding Aaron's hand and rocking him. He cooed in response. "You should try it some time." Kate looked up with wide eyes.

"What me? Be a mom? Yeah, okay." She said with a laugh. Claire smiled and shrugged.

"Oh come on, look at the way you are with Violet. I mean, I know she's older and everything, but she's still a kid. The way you take care of her, and have been since we crashed, I don't know Kate, I think you'd make a good mum." She confessed.

Claire went back to rocking Aaron back to sleep and Kate sighed. Truth be told, she never did understand what drew her to look out for Violet. She had never liked kids, and a _teenager_ no less. There had just been something about Violet that called out to Kate. She needed Kate, and Kate had to help her. It just came as second nature now.

Which was probably why it was killing her so much to imagine Violet's anger at her.

* * *

_2006...part 4_

_After Violet gave her testimony on the stand, she left through the backdoors. She couldn't stay, no matter how much she wanted to, it was too hard. After talking about the island, after months of not, it was hard to deal with. But worse than that, she couldn't bear to stick around to hear Jack's testimony, or worse, the verdict. What was she going to do if Kate was sentenced to life in prison? What about Aaron? Would they really send Violet back to Australia to become a foster kid? The thought made Violet want to scream. After everything they had been through, she couldn't bear the thought of having to go back to the one place where memories of her sister were everywhere. She needed to be with Kate, close to Hurley, close to Jack. These people were all she had left - she couldn't lose that._

_She arrived home, and asked Veronica if she would stay just a little longer. She wasn't exactly in the mood to take care of a baby, not today. Veronica agreed, and after asking if Violet was going to be alright, Violet said she would and barricaded herself in her room where she let the tears finally flow._

* * *

_2006...part 5_

_Kate was free. She couldn't believe that. Free! After all that time on the run from the law before the crash, and after all these trials, she was free to go. Of course, it wasn't because of Violet's character witness, or even Jack's. It came from the most unexpected of places. Her own mother, the one who had disowned her and rejected her had come to her aid and agreed not to testify against her. The DA had cut a deal with her from that. She could go free, as long as she stayed put for 10 years. She was on a 10-year-probation. Kate took it gladly, wanting nothing more for this to be over. She had Aaron to think about, and Violet. She wasn't going anywhere. Violet had dealt with enough, with this trial going on. Kate wanted to end it, not only for herself, but for Violet and Aaron as well._

_Kate took a taxi home, and entered the house with a quiet "hello." She knew nobody would be expecting her. Violet was probably outside playing soccer while the baby napped, so Kate was surprised when Veronica came into the foyer to greet her._

_"Hey Kate!" Veronica greeted her with a huge hug. "I'm so glad to see you!" _

_"Yeah everything worked out." Kate was distracted. "Is Violet here?" Normally if Violet was around, Veronica wasn't. Violet was always willing to take care of Aaron if she could._

_"She asked me to stay. I think she was upset about your trial. She said she just wanted to be alone. She's in her room." Veronica replied._

_"And Aaron? Did you keep him away from the television?" Kate asked._

_"Yes. I just put him down for his nap." Veronica said. Kate smiled, and headed up the stairs to find her baby. She walked into his blue bedroom and found the little boy just falling asleep, in that state between complete wakefulness and dead asleep. He opened his eyes when he saw her and Kate felt tears erupting. She was free, she wouldn't have to worry about losing them again._

_"Hi mommy." Aaron said in a quiet groggy voice. Kate took him in her arms and engulfed him in a hug. She clung to him as though letting go would be the end of it._

_"Hi Aaron." Kate whispered, holding him close. She just held him, until she heard a creak in the floor. She turned around and there was Violet, standing in the doorway, staring at Kate with surprised eyes. Kate smiled._

_"Hey Violet." She said quietly, placing Aaron quietly back in his bed, where he drifted in minutes. Kate joined Violet in the doorframe._

_"What happened?" Violet whispered, still surprised to see Kate. Kate smiled._

_"I'm free. No jailtime, just ten years probation, and I can't leave the state." She replied. Violet breathed out, tears in her eyes, but she tried to look away, as though they weren't really there but Kate had already seen them._

_"I don't care, I'm just glad it's over." She hugged Kate then and Kate squeezed her tight, glad to be home, and glad she would never have to worry about anything like this again._

_"Me too." She agreed._

_"I'm sorry I went against you. I know you didn't want me to testify, but I _had_ to. I had to do something! I couldn't just sit here and watch your trial on tv without making an effort to do something." Violet confessed as she pulled away from Kate. _

_"I really should think things through before I ask you not to do something. You're so stubborn, you're just going to do it anyway." Kate said with a bit of smile. But Violet didn't smile, she was serious._

_"This was different. The stakes were higher. I wasn't going to just sit around and watch you go to jail, Kate. Aaron needs you." She paused then, and looked away with tears in her eyes, before she whispered, "_I_ need you."_


	17. Blackmail

**Chapter Seventeen: Blackmail**

Kate sat on Claire's sofa by herself, feeling rather sorry for herself as deep thoughts plagued her mind. Only an hour had passed since she and Sawyer had implented the plan they had discussed earlier, the plan that gave Kate the resources to finally get the information from Miles she so desperately needed. She had to admit, she had been surprised when Sawyer had agreed to help her get Miles to see Ben, to complete her part of the deal. If she could do that, Miles would tell her if the people on the freighter knew about her past and, in short, if she would be arrested upon rescue.

Sawyer had distracted Locke while Kate broke into the boathouse and managed to get Miles down into Locke's basement to talk to Ben. Everything had gone smoothly up until that point; whatever Sawyer was doing was working - Locke had no idea Kate was in his basement, allowing Miles and Ben to have a conversation he knew nothing about.

But their conversation had surprised Kate. She had no idea what Miles wanted with Ben, she had simply assumed all this time it had something to do with why the freighter had come specifically to find Benjamin Linus, but once Kate had broken into the room Locke had been keeping Ben a prisoner, everything had taken an interesting turn.

Kate had kept watch while Miles talked to Ben. She had to make sure Locke didn't find them, and worse, she had to make sure Ben didn't try escaping while Kate had the door open. She was, after all, unarmed. At least Miles still had his hands tied.

Kate had given the two of them three minutes, and they spoke fast, but Kate couldn't believe what she had heard.

"You know who I am, so let's cut to the chase. You know why I'm on this island, so I'm here to offer you a deal." Miles said quietly, earning Ben's full attention. "I can tell my boss you're here, or, I can tell him you're already dead."

"That sounds a little too easy." Ben said nonchalently.

"I can tell him you're dead...in exchange for 3.2 million dollars." Miles corrected.

Kate turned and stared at the two men. Was Miles being serious? He was blackmailing Benjamin Linus. Did Miles have _any_ idea who this man was?

Ben had simply snorted.

"What makes you think I have access to that kind of money?" He asked with a laugh. Kate noticed the look on Miles face, then. It was a look of fury.

"Don't try to pretend like I don't know all about you, Mr. Linus! You may have all of them fooled!" He said, motioning to Kate. "But we know, and I know you _do_ have access to that money, so I suggest you get it if you want me and my team to turn around and leave you here safe and sound." Miles waited for a moment while Ben tried to process everything that was being said. Miles wasted no time, especially after Kate warned him he only had a minute left.

"I'm giving you three days to get this money." Miles ordered. Ben had raised an eyebrow to that one.

"Can't you be a little more lenient, given my current situation?" He asked, motioning around the dark room he was being held prisoner in.

"Fine, a week." Miles had compromised and before anyone else had a say in the matter, Kate had had enough.

She grabbed hold of Miles, pulling him out of the room, and locking Ben back inside, and, fed up with Miles and his blackmailing (he had used his skills on her too, after all), pushed him hard up against the concrete wall.

"Alright, I gave you what you wanted! Now tell me what I want to know!" She demanded in a hushed whisper. She wasn't sure how much time she would have left. After all, Sawyer would only be able to distract Locke for so long.

Miles rolled his eyes.

"You really want to know?" He asked sarcastically. Kate only had to give him a level glare for him to get the picture.

"Alright, you got it. Yes, we know. We know all about you, Kate Austen. Back in the real world, you're wanted for murder in the first degree, fraud, arson, assaulting an officer, and oh, I'm sure the list goes on. In a nutshell, you're in huge trouble, and guess what. If we know, everyone back home for you knows too. So I can't see why you would even _want_ to leave the island. In fact, if it were me, I would just stay here. At least on this island, you don't have any risk of going to jail for the rest of your life. Nobody has to know you survived the plane crash. People die in plane crashes everyday." Miles said.

But Kate didn't want to hear that, she didn't want to hear _any_ of that!

* * *

Now, as she sat silently on Claire's couch, replaying these events back in her mind, she began to wonder if Sawyer had been right all along. Should she leave the island? Should she really risk going back to jail after she promised she wouldn't leave Violet on her own? If she was arrested, where would that leave Violet anyway?

She also wondered when Locke would be back, she was expecting him any minute. Not long after Miles had spilled his guts about what he knew about Kate, Locke had showed up, unable to be detained by Sawyer any longer. Locke now knew what Kate had been doing, and he was currently bringing Miles back to the boathouse to lock him up. That would only take minutes, though. Soon enough, Kate would be reamed out by Locke, that was a certainty.

Claire turned the corner then and noticed Kate sitting there. Kate didn't even look up, she hadn't heard Claire prowling.

"You okay?" Claire asked. Kate snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at Claire, forcing a smile.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just can't sleep." She admitted. It was true, first because she knew she would have to face Locke, and second, because there was far too much to think about now.

"Yeah, it's the beds. They take some getting used to. Especially after months of sleeping on the sand, you know." Claire laughed. Kate nodded.

"I didn't wake Aaron, did I? You know, by being up? I've been trying to stay quiet." She said. Claire shook her head quickly.

"No, are you kidding? Aaron was born on this island. He'll sleep through anything." She replied. Kate laughed a little, and then looked away, her thoughts drifting to someone else. Claire noticed and took a seat.

"Are you really okay, Kate?" Claire asked. Kate sighed.

"I'm just thinking about Violet." She replied, with a bit of a sigh. "I'm thinking she's probably hating me right now. How could she not? I promised her I would stay by her side, especially since she's so adament about not wanting to leave the island, and then I take off for my own selfish reasons and leave her behind, telling her she can't come with me because it's dangerous. It was never dangerous, it was just something I had to do for myself, but I just imagine her sitting on that beach, thinking that I'm not coming back, and, well let's just say when I do go back, it won't be pretty." Claire smiled.

"Come on, Kate, this is Violet. She's a good kid, she can't stay mad forever. Besides, you mean so much to her. She doesn't even have to say anything, you can just tell she needs you. Maybe she's mad now, but she'll get over it." She replied. Kate wasn't so sure.

_I just hope she doesn't think I abandoned her intentionally. _She thought with a sigh. _Because that's something I could never do._


	18. Contemplating By the Ocean

**Chapter Eighteen: Contemplating By the Ocean**

It had been hours since Violet had taken off. The sun had set already, and Violet was certain the people at the beach were no doubt wondering where she had gone to. She didn't care, in fact, she _hoped_ Jack was sweating bullets. He deserved it, she was _so_ mad at him! Whether she wanted to admit to it or not, she still had never gotten over his decision to go home all that time ago, when he had made that deal with the Others. The idea that Jack had nearly abandoned them had shattered her trust in him. It didn't help that he had been going behind everyone's backs at one time to plot with Juliet a way to get back at the Others, and further, it didn't help that she had watched him as he pulled the trigger on Locke. If that gun had been loaded...

Jack was a different man now, Violet could feel it. It hurt her to remember their early days on the island, before their lives were terrorized by the Others. He had been so different then, but somehow, time on the island had made him cold. She began to wonder if the island was changing everybody, some for the better, some for the worse. She thought of Locke, she thought of Sawyer, she thought of herself even.

But there were some things that hadn't changed.

It was late, she knew that now. The sun had set hours ago, and she was beginning to feel cold in her capris and tank top. She hadn't brought a sweater with her, and was regretting it now, but she wasn't ready to go back, not just yet. She wanted to wait until it was late enough for Jack to be asleep, for _everyone_ to be asleep.

Although, nobody would sleep not knowing where she was, especially not Jack. It didn't matter anyway, she needed to be with her sister.

Violet stared at the small cross that had been built in memory of Katie months ago, with a small wallet sized photograph of her and Katie. She had been sitting here for hours now, just thinking about her sister, talking to her, wishing she hadn't died. How much would life on the island be different if she had her sister? Things had been so overwhelming lately, what with Violet's capture, her rescue, her sneaking off to rescue Jack, being captured once again, getting sick, and then finding that radio tower. Violet felt guilty, because it had been so long since she had visited Katie, _thought_ of Katie. Now, as all those harsh memories came rushing back to her, Violet fell into a fit of sobbing, wishing for nothing more than her sister to come back to her.

"Katie...it's not _fair!_ You promised you'd always be here for me, and you _left _me!" She shouted, causing Vincent, who was asleep at her feet, to rouse and moan softly. Violet swallowed hard, breathing hard and gently scratching Vincent's ear, muttering an apology.

Violet shook with sobs as she stood up and stared out at the ocean. Grabbing Vincent's leash and swallowing a sob, she shakily walked up to the edge of the small cliff that overlooked the ocean, just a small drop into the ocean, a few feet at most, but Violet's thoughts went wild. She remembered to what seemed like ages ago, when Kate had caught her with a bottle of aspirin. Yes, Violet had been serious then too. She had wanted nothing more than to be dead. Without her sister, her mom, life was pointless. They were her life, her family, and they were gone.

Now, Violet shook with fear, as she tried to imagine the rest of her life without her big sister, her best friend, her confidant, her everything. It shook her to her very core. She let out a strangled breath.

"Vincent...I just want to die." She whispered, sniffling a little, still staring out at the water. "It would just be so easy to let myself drown. Nobody would even know, not until it was too late. What would it matter anyway? If that boat is here to rescue us, there's nothing out there for me. There's nothing worth living _for._" Violet dropped to her knees and, still crying, reached into her jeans pocket, shakily pulling out a folded piece of paper, the one that had been folded and re-folded many times. The letter Juliet had given her, the letter Violet's father had written before he had taken his own life.

Violet swallowed again, not even opening the letter, as she stared at the folded paper, feeling angry.

"How could Katie just leave me? How could mama just leave me? How could _you_ just leave me?" Violet screamed at the letter, squeezing it tightly in her hands, tears still leaking from her eyes. She paused for a moment, feeling herself calming down a little, as she stared out at the ocean again with moist eyes, and a heavy heart. How she wanted to jump in, tie a rock to her ankles and let herself drown. Oh, what peace...

She placed a shaking hand on Vincent's back.

"I just wish...I wish I could go back in time...none of this, _any_ of this would have ever happened." She said quietly.

Violet buried her head into her knees then and cried. Vincent was silent, falling asleep beside her, as the cold breeze brushed past Violet, causing her to shiver more.

"Violet." A voice broke through the wind, and Violet's head shot up, but she wouldn't turn around. She recognized the voice. It was Juliet.

Violet quickly brushed her tears away on her cold arms, and cleared her throat, pretending like everything was fine.

"What are you doing here?" Violet asked, steadying her voice and staring at the ocean. She heard Juliet's footsteps growing closer.

"Everyone's worried about you, Violet." Juliet responded, squatting down beside Violet, who never turned to acknowledge her presence. "It's late, and it's freezing."

Violet didn't respond, she just stared out at the ocean. She didn't care that it was late - good, let them worry. She only wished Kate were there to worry too - that would get back at her for taking off without her.

"You're awfully quiet." Juliet observed after a few moments of silence. Violet only shrugged, ignoring the goosebumps that were forming on her arm.

"I came out here to think." She replied.

"You really haven't said much of anything to anyone since we hiked up to the tower." Juliet paused. "Look, it doesn't take a genius to figure out you're going through something, and in my opinion, it's even worse to keep it all to yourself. It's internalizing your feelings, and it's not healthy." She waited, but Violet didn't say anything. She had heard this far too many times. It's good to talk things through, it's better to share your feelings, it's not good to keep things bottled up. She was tired of it. What good did talking do anyway? Nobody seemed to care.

"If it helps, you could talk to me." Juliet said suddenly. Violet shook her head, finally turning to acknowledge Juliet, who stared at Violet seriously.

"You wouldn't understand." Violet said simply. "Besides, don't you know Kate would _kill_ me if she knew I was even talking to you?" It wasn't a secret that Kate was adamently against Juliet and Violet talking to each other. Kate was still holding a grudge against Juliet for having such a role in kidnapping and holding Violet. Violet still didn't understand why she herself didn't hold such a grudge. Juliet was different, somehow but ever since they had found out she had been planted as a mole in their camp, Violet still wasn't sure what to believe about Juliet. It was hard to know.

"Well, Kate's not here, and you _are_ free to make your own choices." Juliet replied, stating the obvious. "Look, Violet, it's obvious you don't want to leave the island." Violet scoffed.

"_Obviously!" _She snapped. Anybody could tell that, whether Violet was _internalizing_ or not.

"I know you don't like the idea, but Violet, it is very important that we get off of this island, all of us. It's dangerous living here, and-"

"I've _never_ cared about it being dangerous! Do you think I care how important it is to leave? I _don't_ want to leave! I've _never_ wanted to leave! I just want to stay here! There's _nothing_ for me back in that world!" Violet snapped.

"What's here that makes you want to stay?"

"What?"

"What's here that makes you want to risk your safety everyday just so you can avoid going back home?" Juliet asked. Violet sighed, and shook her head.

"I don't know, I just-" she turned away from Juliet and stroked Vincent's soft fur. "At least here, I have people who care about me. At least, I thought I did." It seemed like everyone she thought who had cared about her left her. Charlie was dead, Hurley, Claire and Sawyer took off with Locke, Kate had left her behind and Jack, well, he was so different. Violet went on.

"Not like it matters anyway, because Kate just went and took off like nothing mattered! If that helicopter even shows up, what am _I_ supposed to do? Jack's convinced I'm getting on that helicopter no matter what, but if Kate's not here, I'm not going _anywhere!_ Jack won't let me go to Locke's camp to _find_ Kate, and he's doing nothing to find her either! I'm _not_ getting on that helicopter without Kate! I don't care _how_ mad at her I am! It's bad enough everyone's trying to make me leave this island, but if Kate's not with me, then _forget it!"_

Violet was silent then, and she didn't care what Juliet had to say. In fact, part of her just wished she would just leave Violet alone. But if it were true that people were looking for her, chances were good Juliet wouldn't leave unless Violet was with her. Violet simply sighed.

Silence followed, and Juliet said nothing. Violet's mind wandered back to her sister, her mom, her dad and his letter.

His letter.

It still plagued her, what he had done, and how. But that was the problem, she didn't _know_ how. Only Juliet did, and for some reason, she had chosen to keep all that a secret from Violet, but now, Violet reached into her pocket, yanked out the letter and held it up to Juliet, who only stared at it steadily.

"How." She said quietly. Juliet raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" She asked.

"I want to know _how._ I know _you_ know how he did it, and I want you to tell me." Violet replied, with as much authority as she could muster. She knew she wasn't doing such a good job. Her eyes were still moist from crying, her body was shaking, and so was her voice. It didn't matter though, she had to at least try. She needed to know exactly how her father had died.

"Violet, I'm not telling you how he killed himself. I stand by my decision. I don't think you should know. It's not going to solve anything." Juliet replied, calmly, never letting her gaze leave Violet. Violet narrowed her eyebrows. This was so angering!

"I have a right to know!" She snapped, then lowered her voice a bit. "It's really important to me."

"Why? Why is it so important to you?" Juliet asked, and Violet was stuck. The truth was, she didn't even know why it was so essential for her to know. She had been so obsessed at one time with how her father had killed himself, dreaming about it, thinking about him everytime she saw a dead body, but no, she had never known why.

"Well," she started, "I don't know. Closure, I guess. Anyway, why does it matter _why?_ He's _my_ dad. I shouldn't have to explain myself!" She snapped. Juliet only stared at her, and then shook her head.

"Sorry, Violet, but I'm not telling you." She replied as simple as that. Violet was so angry, she actually jumped to her feet, feeling as though hovering over Juliet in height might make things better. She didn't feel confidant, though. After all, Juliet _had_ kidnapped her right off the beach. Violet was hardly one to be intimidating.

"Why not?" Violet snapped, regardless of how inferior she felt. This wasn't fair! She wasn't a child - she should be able to decide what she was allowed to know and what she wasn't allowed to know.

Juliet simply stared up at Violet and then stood to meet Violet's gaze levelly. Violet never looked away. She _would_ stay strong. Juliet _had_ to tell her.

"Look Violet, I'm seeing that you're obsessing over how he died. I know how many times you've asked me, I see the way you look when people die. I know you want to know how your father...died, but I think you want to know for all the wrong reasons." Juliet replied. Violet puckered her brow, crossing her arms.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" She snapped. Juliet hesitated, and then went on.

"Violet, I know you wanted to kill yourself during your first week on the island. I know you wanted to swallow a bottle of aspirin because the pain of losing your sister was just too much. We have everything about you on file, that's how I know. I know it's probably not the first time you've thought about it either. I think knowing about how your father killed himself will do more harm than good right now. _That's_ why I'm not telling you." She continued before Violet could argue. "You can ask me until you're blue in the face, but I'm not going to be the one to tell you."

Violet closed her mouth, but felt tears forming in her eyes. It wasn't fair! How _dare_ Juliet think she knew what was best for her? It wasn't right!

Without another word, Violet grabbed Vincent's leash and stormed back toward the beach, ignoring the sounds of Juliet's footsteps following behind her. Somehow, _somehow_, she would find out. She didn't know how, but she _had_ to know. It wasn't fair!

* * *

When Violet returned to the beach, everyone was sleeping in their tents, except for Jack, who was arguing with that Daniel and Charlotte. He was so focused on his conversation with them, he hardly even noticed Violet's presence. Sure, he saw her, but he didn't berate her for going missing. For that, Violet was grateful. She was _so_ angry right now! She didn't even return Juliet's gaze. Violet just focused on Jack and the two freighter folk.

"I want to know why nobody on your boat has answered my call! It's been hours, and I still haven't heard anything from Sayid or Desmond. How am I supposed to know they made it there okay?" Jack was yelling. Violet's stomach sank. _Still?_ They _still_ hadn't heard anything from Sayid and Desmond? What was taking them so long? What if the people on the freighter really _were_ dangerous? What if Sayid and Desmond were....

She wouldn't think like that!

"I don't know what you're on about. What makes you think we know anything about it?" Charlotte asked, raising an eyebrow in an annoyed manner. Violet rolled her eyes. She was beginning to really not like Charlotte.

"Do you seriously only have _one_ line on this phone? I find it hard to believe you can only get through to your boat through one channel." Jack said, shaking the satellite phone in his hand. Violet noticed the look shared between Daniel and Charlotte then, and she narrowed her eyebrows.

"What?" She asked sharply, earning her a surprised look from Charlotte, who looked back at Juliet and Jack, seeing that they were asking the same thing with their looks.

"Well, there _is_ one other line." Charlotte admitted. "But it's only to be used in emergencies." Before anyone else could say anything, Juliet took the phone from Jack, and handed it to Charlotte.

"It's an emergency." Juliet stated simply.

Charlotte looked over to Daniel, who sighed, but nodded.

Charlotte breathed out and took the phone from Juliet, dialing a number and putting it on speakerphone, because Jack told her too. It was obvious Jack was beginning to distrust these people. _Finally_, Violet thought. She hasn't trusted them from the beginning.

The phone rang and a voice answered on the other end.

"Hello, George, this is Charlotte." Charlotte responded.

"Charlotte, what are you doing calling this number?" George asked. Charlotte looked up at Jack, who only raised his eyebrows to prompt her into continuing.

"I know, sorry George. I'm with the survivors of Oceanic 815. They want to know why they haven't heard from their friends." Charlotte replied. There was an awkward pause.

"What friends?"

Violet's stomach dropped.

"Frank was bringing two of the survivors to the freighter. Aren't they there?" Charlotte asked. Violet shook like a leaf as she waited for the response.

"Charlotte, I haven't seen that helicopter since you all took off yesterday. Frank's not here, and neither is the helicopter." George replied.

Violet was silent. So were Jack and Juliet. Even Charlotte and Daniel were speechless. They all knew what this meant.

If Desmond and Sayid weren't on that freighter, then where were they?


	19. Dislodged Desmond

**Chapter Nineteen: Dislodged Desmond**

Kate sighed, as she clung to her pillow, staring off into nothingness. Banished. She'd been banished from the Barracks. She'd expected as much. Locke hadn't been the happiest of campers when he arrived back at Claire's house to talk to her about what had happened with Miles. Yes, of course he wanted to know exactly what Ben and Miles had said in their conversation, and judging by how calm Locke had been throughout Kate's recollection, she thought she was home free. But then he told her to be gone by morning; that she wasn't welcome there anymore.

Well, it didn't matter anyway, it was probably just as well. She needed to get back to the beach. She thought about Jack and how worried he must have been when Sayid went back without her. She thought of Violet...would she have been worried, or would her mind have automatically assumed the worst; that Kate left her intentionally? Kate wasn't sure, and she definitely wasn't looking forward to Violet's reaction upon returning to the camp.

But now, it was morning, and the sun was shining in through the window of his bedroom. She was immediately regretting last night. As soon as Locke had banished her, she ran to Sawyer. Why did she _always_ run to Sawyer, she wondered. He had asked her to stay, to ignore Locke, but as morning came, Kate knew she wasn't staying.

"Mornin' Freckles." Sawyer's voice pierced the silence, but Kate didn't move. Sawyer moved over and began kissing her neck, but she shrugged him off. She wasn't in the mood.

"Not now, Sawyer." She complained, moving away. He exhaled.

"Ah come on, why not? Look, I get why you didn't want to make love last night. You were sad, but why not now?"

Kate didn't answer.

"Look is this because you think you might be pregnant?" Sawyer asked.

Kate sat up then, and stared hard at him. He talked about it like it was no big deal! When Juliet was supposed to get samples from all the women she thought might be pregnant, her name had been on that list. Kate couldn't deny it at the time - she _could_ have been pregnant. She had, after all, slept with Sawyer a few times. It was a risk she hadn't thought about at the time.

Kate sighed.

"I'm not pregnant." She stated truthfully. She knew now, there was no way she could be pregnant. Her stomach sank when Sawyer breathed out in relief.

"You sure?" He asked, eyes wide. When Kate nodded, he breathed out again.

"Well, _that's_ a relief!" He exclaimed. Kate looked away.

"What, would me being pregnant have been the _worst_ thing in the world?" She wanted to know.

"Yes, actually, it _would._ Geez, Kate, what would _we_ do with a baby?" Sawyer asked. Kate couldn't believe what she was hearing, but then, she wasn't surprised either.

Without another word, Kate jumped out of bed and grabbed her jeans, pulling them on. Sawyer rolled his eyes, immediately sensing the wrongness of what he had said.

"What are you doing, Freckles?" He asked in a quiet voice. Kate didn't return his gaze.

"I'm going back to the beach." She said flatly, pulling her shirt on over her head.

"Oh _why?_ Because I'm relieved you ain't pregnant? Come on, Kate, you didn't want no baby anymore than _I_ did! So don't make this about _me!_ You're just looking for some excuse to leave. 'Cause that's what you do, Kate. You run when things get tough." He paused, leaning up on his elbow, that familiar angry look in his eye. "But don't worry, I'm not offended. 'Cause I'll just wait here a week. That's about how long it'll take for you to find some reason to get mad at Jack again, and you'll come running back to me!"

He barely saw it coming, but Kate whirled around and slapped him hard across the face. Sawyer's words stung Kate like a rusty nail, but maybe it hurt so much because she knew, somewhere deep inside, that he was right.

Sawyer didn't say anything, and Kate was speechless as well. With nothing but her starting tears to bring along, she ran out the door.

* * *

Violet hadn't slept that night - not after the phone call made to the freighter. She was so worried about Sayid, and Desmond too. They had flown off in that helicopter yesterday! How could they not have gotten there already?

Violet laid in her tent for a good while in the morning, wishing for some sleep to come before she had to face another day, but it didn't. Sighing, she finally gave in to Vincent's whimpering to be let out, and got up.

Yawning, Violet walked out to the clearing holding the leash while Vincent did his business. Instinctively, she looked out toward the jungle, but saw nothing. There was a part of her that hoped she'd see Kate coming through the bushes, returning to the camp.

Violet still felt so angry at Kate for ditching her, for not coming back. If Kate came back, Violet didn't even know what she would say to her. There was a part of her that wanted nothing more than to feel relief at knowing Kate was alright, but there was that other part of her that was angry.

Sighing, Violet pushed the thought away. It didn't matter right now; Kate was nowhere to be seen.

As she stepped back onto the beach, she saw Charlotte and Daniel talking quietly by the kitchen. They were whispering. Puckering her brow, Violet began walking toward them. Last night, after she had returned back to the beach and the confrontation with Charlotte and Daniel broke out, Jack pulled her aside and warned her against talking to, or going near these people. He still wasn't 100% sure who they were or what was going on, but he didn't completely trust them yet.

"Just let us handle it, Violet." He had said.

Violet was _tired_ of being told what to do, having people decide what _they_ thought was best for her. They were just people, after all. How could they be dangerous? _Especially_ that Daniel guy. He didn't seem like he could hurt a fly.

Just as she suspected, both Charlotte and Daniel stopped whispering as she soon as she began approaching, and they pretended to busy themselves with breakfast. Violet rolled her eyes. After months of being left out of important conversations, she could pick up on cues like no other.

"Hi." Violet said in a quiet voice as she approached the two. Charlotte forced a smile, and Daniel nodded his head.

"Uh, hi." He paused, wiping his hands on his shirt. "Violet, right?"

Violet nodded.

"Uh huh." Daniel looked around nervously. Violet just stared at the two, raising an eyebrow and waiting. Charlotte cleared her throat.

"Is there something you want, love?" She asked. Violet stared at her. If she was trying to sound nice, she was failing miserably. Violet nodded her head.

"Well yeah, actually there is." She pointed out. "My friend, Sayid, he headed to your boat with your pilot a day ago. Desmond too. I want to know why we haven't heard from them yet. I know you _claim_ to not know, but what really gets me is that you two don't even seem remotely worried. In fact, you didn't even seem the least bit worried." She crossed her arms, standing her ground. It was true, the night before, both Charlotte and Daniel had simply shared a glance when George had told them there was no helicopter to be seen. Sure, they hadn't said anything, but Violet caught it.

"What's going on?" Jack asked. Violet's stomach dropped, as she turned slightly to see Jack and Juliet approaching the kitchen, looking from Violet to the freighter folks. Violet didn't let any emotion show. She didn't care that she wasn't doing what Jack had told her to do. She wanted answers. She had lost too many people she had cared about. Sayid was her friend, she wanted to know where he was.

"Your little friend here is interrogating us." Charlotte said sarcastically. Violet turned back and glared at her.

"I have every right to know. So why don't you answer my question? Why weren't you surprised when they didn't make it to your boat?" She asked, ignoring Jack and Juliet who were standing right beside her. They were staring at Daniel and Charlotte too. They wanted to know the answer to Viole'ts question too.

Charlotte didn't respond, she just looked at Daniel. Violet wasn't sure, but she looked...worried. Daniel breathed out.

"Okay look, this may be complicated to understand, but...your perception of time on this island...I mean, your perception of how long Sayid and Desmond have been gone...it's not necessarily equivelent to how long they've _actually_ been gone." He explained slowly.

Violet stared at him. She had thought all along that Daniel was crazy, a little slow on the uptake, but what was this nonsense he was going on about? She stared at him with raised eyebrows.

"What?" She asked. Daniel shook his head.

"Oh but don't worry. As long as Frank kept his helicopter on _exactly_ the bearing I told him, they'll be fine." He paused. "And...well, if he _didn't_...let's just say they're might be...side effects."

Violet stared at him. Side effects? Like _what?_ How did Daniel seem to know so much about this island? How did he know about what would happen if they were flying on the wrong bearing? What was going on?

Violet looked out toward the ocean, hoping to see a helicopter. She hoped Sayid was safe, and wondered what could possibly go wrong after all this?

* * *

A few hours had passed, and Violet was sitting quietly by her tent, Vincent fast asleep while she drew in her journal. She couldn't even recall the last time she had even looked at her journal. Its last entry was from before she was taken by the Others. That seemed like ages ago now. _Especially_ now that Juliet was staying in their camp.

She was trying to figure out what Daniel had said, about their perception of time, and actual time being two different things. It almost sounded like some kind of weird space-time continuum, but Violet didn't understand any of that. She'd never been good in science; this was _way_ over her head. Daniel was a physicist, and a confusing one at that. Charlotte hadn't done anything to try and simplify it for any of them either. She had just shrugged casually, and claimed she had no idea what that meant.

But Violet _knew_ she did. She _knew_ she was lying, but what would they have to gain through lying? Violet didn't like Charlotte, she knew that now. She was hiding a lot, and Violet knew she wouldn't be able to figure out what it was. Jack had given her a piece of his mind for approaching them without telling him. Violet thought about arguing him, screaming at him, lashing out for all the times he had made bad choices, or all the times he tried to order her around, but instead, she just listened to him go on, and then she promptly walked away without a word.

Whatever. It didn't matter. Jack had changed. She didn't want to listen to him anymore; in fact, all she felt like doing was going against everything he said. But for now, she decided she'd stay away from them. For now.

Except Daniel's satellite phone went off then, and Violet couldn't help but run over at the same time as Jack and Juliet did. It earned her a look from Jack, but she returned it coldly. She wasn't going anywhere, and besides, his stipulations were that she couldn't approach them _alone._ This was different.

Daniel answered the phone.

It was Sayid!

Violet swallowed, as Sayid tried to talk. All she could hear was someone freaking out on the other line. It sounded like Desmond.

"Sayid, what's going on? You make it to the ship?" Jack asked into the phone.

"Yes, but we have a serious problem. Desmond is panicking, and we can not figure out why." Sayid replied. Violet had to ignore her initial feelings of relief while she listened to what Sayid was saying. Did this have anything to do with the weird side effects Daniel was talking about?

Judging by the panicked look on Daniel's face, as he scrambled to find something in his bag, Violet guessed she was right.

"What do you mean he's panicking? What's going on, Sayid?" Jack asked.

"I don't know, we were in the helicopter, and suddenly Desmond started screaming. Jack, he didn't know who I was. He _still_ doesn't." Sayid replied. Violet swallowed. That was called amnesia, but why the sudden change? Her heart was hammering while Daniel pulled a small journal out of his bag and grabbed the phone back from Jack.

"Sayid, I need you to put Desmond on." He said. "It's important."

There was a pause, and Daniel quickly flipped some pages in his book while quietly muttering to himself. Violet shared a glance with Juliet. Okay, so she wasn't the only one who was confused.

"Who is this?" Desmond asked in a frantic voice. Violet's stomach dropped. The man sounded downright terrified.

"Desmond, my name is Daniel Faraday. I need you to tell me what year it is." Dan replied. Violet puckered her brow. That was a stupid question, she reasoned. If it were her, she'd be more apt to ask more important questions, like what the last thing he remembered was.

"What do you mean, what year is it? It's 1996!" Desmond shouted.

Violet's heart skipped a beat!

* * *

Violet was exhausted. It had been a long day, and she hadn't had any sleep the night before.

It was nearing evening now, and Violet lay on her back near the fire, staring up at the cloudless sky, thankful that Sayid and Desmond had made it the freighter okay, and that Desmond was okay now.

It still didn't make any sense to her. None of it did. Daniel had tried to explain that the helicopter hadn't flown on his specific bearing, and as a result, a random side effect had occurred, dislodging Desmond in time. According to Daniel, sometimes the displacement was only a few hours, while other times it was _years._ Desmond had been dislodged eight years!

Daniel had to walk Desmond through some instructions, something about Oxford University and Eloise, but Violet walked away at that point. Her head was hurting at that point. As curious as she was, she could find out later.

And she did. Juliet told her only moments ago that Desmond was fine. He had found his constant, which Juliet tried to explain as best she could based on how Daniel explained it, but Violet was too tired to get it. All that mattered was that Desmond was firmly placed back in 2004 with the rest of them, and he was okay.

Violet felt herself dozing as the sun began to descend from the sky. She tried to wrap her mind around what had happened to Desmond. Was it time travel? No, it couldn't be; Desmond hadn't physically _gone_ anywhere. According to Daniel, only his mind had. Odd.

But Violet couldn't help but start to imagine what it would be like if she was dislodged in time by eight years. She would be six years old. Wow, six years old. She tried to imagine what life was like at six.

Her mother had still been alive. Her sister was still alive. Oh the memories. She remembered her mother kissing her before bed, reading her stories and tucking her in. She remembered Katie coming home on holidays from school, taking her out to parks, giving her candy, playing with her. Life was so happy then.

Violet felt a tear trickle down her cheek as she partially envied Desmond. To be only six again, even if only for a moment. To feel her mother's arms around her one last time. To feel Katie's hand brush through her hair one last time.

Violet buried her face into Vincent's fur and tried not to cry.


	20. Juliet's Friend in the Jungle

**Chapter Twenty: Juliet's Friend in the Jungle**

Violet stayed by the fire for the whole evening, staring at the burning wood, feeling her own eyes stinging from the brightness of the flames. Vincent was fast asleep beside her, and he wasn't the only one. It was getting later, and some of the camp's inhabitants had already gone to sleep. She noticed Sun and Jin by their own little fire down the beach a little ways. They always had their own fire, and they stayed close most of the time. Violet gathered it was probably because Sun was pregnant - that had definitely boosted the couple's relationship. Violet could still remember when Sun and Jin fought all the time when they first crashed here. Strange how relationships could change so quickly.

Strange how _everything_ could change.

Violet wondered what Kate would say to her if she were here, right now. She would probably say something about needing to get some sleep, since she hadn't slept the night before. Violet sighed, willing herself to stay awake for as long as possible, almost her way of defying Kate, even though she wasn't around.

Sighing, she forced Kate out of her mind, what good would it do anyway? Chances were good she wasn't coming back, it had already been a couple of days. Violet felt so angry at Jack for his failure to do anything about it. When Violet had gone missing, neither Jack or Kate gave up on trying to find her. Now Kate was gone, and he didn't budge. Just because Sayid said she _chose_ to stay; Jack seemed just as angered by this as Violet was.

Still.

Violet heard footsteps behind her and she craned her body to see Jack and Juliet walking through the camp, looking around. Puckering her brow, Violet watched as they approached Sun and Jin by their fire. Curious, and feeling rather bored, Violet stood quietly, leaving Vincent fast asleep by the fire, and ran up to the four.

"Hey. Has anyone seen Charlotte and Dan?" Jack asked in a voice that he was obviously trying to keep calm. Violet could see he was worried, though. Juliet too.

"Violet, you've been by the fire all night. Did you see them at all?" She asked. Violet simply shook her head. She felt her own heart beating in her chest. If they were missing, where had they gone? If Ben was right about them being dangerous...well, Violet didn't want to think about what they could be doing.

Jin, who suddenly seemed to understand the conversation that was going on, spoke up in Korean. Everybody immediately looked to Sun for a translation.

"He said he saw Charlotte and Daniel going into the jungle about an hour ago." She offered. Jack breathed out heavily, and pressed his hand to his forehead.

"Why didn't he say anything?" He asked Sun, who directed the question back to Jin. Jin looked at Jack innocently, suddenly looking confused.

"You...said they are...friends." He said in decent English. Jack sighed, and turned away, trying to think. Violet swallowed hard - where could they have gone at this hour? Sun, however, looked worried now.

"Jack, aren't they friends?" She asked. Violet looked at Jack, wondering what he was going to say. It didn't take a genius to figure out he didn't trust these people, but what Violet couldn't puzzle out was why he kept them around if he didn't trust them. If they truly weren't here to rescue them, then, she wondered, why _were_ they here on this island, and why would Jack risk everyone's lives by keeping them around?

Jack stared at Sun for a moment, considering her before he spoke up.

"We should try and find them. We'll split up, we'll cover more ground that way." He replied, avoiding the question. Jack and Juliet headed toward the east, while Sun and Jin headed west. Violet, feeling left out, stubbornly grabbed Vincent's leash and began following after Jack and Juliet. They hadn't even noticed her presence, at least, not right away.

"Where do you think they went?" Juliet asked suddenly.

"I don't know, but they've been acting evasive since they got here. The secrets have got to end - I want to know what they're up to, and I want to know _now._" He grabbed a gun from his tent and passed one to Juliet. Violet, meanwhile, was tying a yawning Vincent to a nearby tree, while Jack and Juliet acknowledged her presence for the first time.

"I'm coming with you." She said quietly, without even looking up. She could hear Jack's sigh.

"No." He said simply. Violet looked up and glared at him with every ounce of anger she felt inside of her.

"I wasn't exactly _asking_ your permission." She said in a snotty voice. She hardly realized how much she was sounding like Kate. She breathed out. "Please Jack, don't leave me here. I can't sleep anyway."

Jack opened his mouth to speak, but closed his mouth, looking to Juliet, as though he hoped she would have some valuable insight. She didn't say a word, she only looked at Violet as though she were considering something she wasn't letting anyone else in on. Jack breathed out.

"Fine, but listen to me, and listen _good!_ Juliet and I have guns, you don't. You stay with one of us the _whole_ time! I mean it, Violet, this is too important for us to have to have to find you if you get lost." He said. Disguising her surprise at being allowed to go, she glared at him again at his comment.

"I _know_ how important this is, Jack! I'm not an idiot." She said quietly. Jack looked at her for a minute before he simply nodded, and began to lead the way. Juliet followed after him, and Violet after her.

Nobody said anything for a while, they simply walked in silence, and Violet began to wonder if she should have tagged along with Sun and Jin instead. They might have been better company, after all, Violet was still angry at Jack, for so many reasons, she was beginning to lose track. It didn't matter anyway, no matter how angry she was at Jack, Violet felt safer with him and Juliet than she would have with the Kwons.

They walked for about half an hour when it started to rain. _Wonderful!_ Violet thought bitterly, wishing she would have at least grabbed a sweater. She swore she even saw her own breath misting in front of her.

There was a noise in the bushes, and the three of them instinctively froze! Juliet and Jack both pulled out their guns and cocked them, holding them up and circling. Violet swallowed, wishing she had a gun. Jack took off further into the jungle while Juliet stayed put, holding her gun tightly and looking in every direction cautiously.

"Stay close, Violet." She said evenly, never looking at her. Violet simply nodded, wide-eyed and shaking. It was pouring so hard now, it was hard to hear anything but the sound of rain on the ground and against the leaves of the trees. It was hard to see anything either, with the rain plastering Violet's hair to her face. Scrambling to brush it aside, she tried to keep her focus on Juliet, so as not to lose her in this torrential downpour. Jack was nowhere to be seen, and Violet was suddenly wishing he would have stayed with them.

That was when she heard them.

The whispers.

They were surrounding them, incomprehensible whispering, coming from everywhere, and yet, nowhere. Violet looked around frantically, searching for their source, but saw nothing, not even Jack. She began breathing heavily, and she stared at Juliet in a panic.

"Do you hear that?" She asked in a scared voice. Juliet simply nodded, as she turned around and stared into the jungle. Violet unconsciously moved a step closer to Juliet, feeling her body trembling and her heart hammering. What was going on? Where was _Jack?_

Violet turned around then, and was standing face to face with a strange woman.

Violet gasped and backed up into Juliet, who turned around and raised her gun. Violet felt Juliet's other arm instinctively blocking Violet.

Violet stared wide-eyed at the stranger in front of them. Who was she, what was she doing here? She wasn't one of the survivors, Violet knew all of _them_ by name. Could...could this woman be an...Other?

The woman stared at Juliet with determined eyes and she flashed a fake smile.

"Hello, Juliet." She said in an unimpressed tone. "Long time, no see."

Violet's heart started racing, as she stared up at Juliet with fear in her eyes, and immediately felt frightened when she realized Juliet didn't look the least bit surprised to hear this woman saying her name.

Violet's mouth suddenly felt very dry, as she looked back at the woman in front of them. The reality of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks. Juliet had been placed in their camp as a mole not too long ago, and although she confessed to it and helped them escape the Others' planned raid on the pregnant women, Violet had never really known what to think about Juliet. She had thought she could trust her, and then she wasn't sure. Now, it began to dawn on her. If this woman, who claimed to know Juliet, was an Other, what would that mean if Juliet was really still a mole?

Violet began to feel scared and vulnerable. If Juliet was still working for Ben, then she was in the presence of two Others, one of which had a gun, and Jack was still nowhere to be found.

She swallowed.

"H-Harper." Juliet stammered. The woman, Harper, raised an eyebrow, looked over at Violet, who was shaking like a leaf, and then back at Juliet.

"I'm here to deliver a message, Juliet, a message for you, from Ben." Harper said with an air of authority. Juliet slowly began to lower her gun, and Violet stared at her in surprise. Was she crazy? What if Harper had a gun too? Violet wanted nothing more than to dash into the jungle in search of Jack.

Harper stared at Violet coldly and then back at Juliet. Violet quickly realized Harper wanted to tell Juliet the message privately. Juliet shook her head.

"Whatever you need to say, whatever Ben thinks he has to tell me, can be said in front of Violet." She said in a strong voice. Violet swallowed, not expecting that. Maybe she was wrong about Juliet, maybe she could be trusted. Still, she wasn't sure.

"Your friends from the freighter, Faraday and Lewis, they're headed for the Tempest." Harper said quickly. Juliet puckered her brow.

"Why would they go there?" She wanted to know. Harper hesitated.

"Think about it, Juliet, you know what's there." She paused. "If Faraday and Lewis figure out how to deploy that gas, then every man, woman and child on this island is going to die."

Violet felt her heart pounding as she stared at Harper. What was the Tempest? Gas? _Oh my- Ben was right all along. These people came to kill us!_

"Why are you telling me this?" Juliet demanded.

"Because Ben wants you to stop them." Harper replied simply. Violet shook her head, this wasn't making any sense. She stared at Juliet.

"How can Ben know where they were going, Charlotte and Dan, I mean. Isn't he a prisoner at Locke's?" Violet asked quietly. Juliet looked over at Violet for a split second before returning her attention to Harper, who was laughing.

"You _do_ know who we're talking about, don't you kid? Ben is exactly where he wants to be right now, and he knows what's going on, probably more than anyone on this island right now." She looked back to Juliet. "He wants you to stop it."

"How?" Juliet demanded. Harper raised an eyebrow, as though Juliet were asking the most basic question in the world.

"By pointing your gun, and pulling the trigger." Harper replied sadistically.

Violet swallowed. Ben wanted Juliet to _kill_ Charlotte and Dan before they had a chance to kill everyone on the island. But why Juliet? Why didn't Ben just order Harper to?

Juliet was silent as she stared at Harper evenly. It was difficult to read her expression with all the rain, it was hard to see much of anything.

Violet suddenly heard a gun click, and she looked beyond Harper to see Jack emerging from the bushes, holding his gun up at Harper. Violet felt slightly better, now that Jack was here. It didn't look like Harper had any kind of weapon on her, or any means of hurting any of them, but if she was truly an Other, then Violet wouldn't put anything past her.

"Who are you?" Jack yelled at Harper's back. Harper didn't move, she just stared at Juliet, wearing a completely calm expression on her face.

"Don't worry, Jack," Harper turned slowly to face Jack. "I'm an old friend of Juliet's."

Violet swallowed as Jack looked to Juliet for confirmation. Juliet didn't move, while Harper turned back and raised an eyebrow at Juliet.

"Maybe Juliet can use your help, Jack. Maybe you and your_ gun_ can help her out." Harper looked down at Violet, who puckered her brow under her gaze.

"I see neither of you let Violet have a gun." She looked at Juliet with a personal glance. "Probably a smart move on your part, what with her...tendencies."

Violet's stomach dropped, as she realized _exactly_ what Harper was talking about. How had she known about her past suicidal tendencies? No, that was a stupid question - these were the Others. Juliet knew all about them, why wouldn't this woman?

Violet immediately felt angry, and opened her mouth to say something, but what would she say? She couldn't deny it, but she did feel upset and offended. Was that really the reason why nobody ever gave her a gun? Did they really not trust her to use it properly? _But Sayid let me have a gun when I waited in the bushes at the Barracks._ She remembered, but then, Kate had argued against that too. Violet couldn't do anything but hold in her anger.

"Maybe it would be smarter to send the girl back, and you two can go on. You wouldn't want her to get...hurt." The way Harper said it, Violet wasn't sure, but it creeped her out. It was as though she enjoyed the thought of one of them getting hurt.

Violet felt Juliet's hand on her back, as though to comfort her, when the whispers started again. Violet immediately jumped around to search the jungle behind her, and both Jack and Juliet had done the same, circling in search of those voices. Violet turned back to face Harper,

but Harper was gone.

"Juliet!" She called, and Juliet turned to find the same empty space in front of her that Violet did. Jack noticed too.

While Jack and Juliet circled the area, guns poisted in search of Harper, Violet could only stand there, staring off into the jungle, trembling. Wherever Harper had run off to, Jack and Juliet wouldn't find her. The Others had a way of disappearing without a trace.

But that wasn't what was unnerving.

It was Harper's comment, and the truth that stung at Violet. What the Others had known all along was exactly the truth that Violet had been refusing to admit, but knew to be very well true. She could remember the time Kate had caught her with that bottle of pills...

* * *

_Violet's eyes stopped on a bright yellow bag not far from where her purple duffle bag had been. It was Katie's; there was no mistaking that. _Her and her bright colors_. Violet used to think, as Katie always loved her things to be bright and colourful; her clothes, her accessories, everything. _

_Violet picked it up and a surge of guilt rushed through her, feeling so wrong going through her sister's stuff. _We always respected each other's privacy_. She thought as she unzipped the bag and sat down cross-legged on the ground, searching through the contents of Katie's bag. There was a pack of gum, her wallet which held a small photograph of Violet's school picture, a pair of sunglasses and a thermometer. Violet smiled slightly. _She must have brought it for me. _She put the thermometer in her pocket, just in case._

_She continued through the bag and stopped when she found a map from the Los Angeles airport to her father's house. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at it, and the photograph of her father clipped to the map. Violet felt immediate anger. _It's your fault Katie's dead! It's your fault mom's dead! _She tore the map and the picture in two and let the forgotten pieces drop to the ground in a neat pile. Violet went on through the bag without a second thought, until she finally found the full bottle of Tylenol. She breathed a sigh of relief as she could feel herself getting hotter. _

_She unscrewed the bottle camp and allowed one pill to fall into her hand, and then she froze. She stared into the contents of the bottle and swallowed hard. She thought about her dead sister, her dead mother, her father whom she hated, and the fact that she was all alone on this island with nobody who loved her. Everybody that ever mattered to her was dead, and that pain was too much to bear._

_She poured the contents of the bottle into her hand, and she stared at the large pile of pills in her hand with wide, curious eyes. Her whole head was buzzing; she felt empty, as though nothing mattered anymore. She couldn't feel; she only stared at the pills as though unsure how to start, or what to do. With her free hand, she went to reach for the first pill._

_"Violet!" Violet turned her head so quickly, it hurt. Kate was standing there, wide-eyed as she stared at the pills. Violet immediately grabbed the bottle and let the pills fall back in as she replaced the lid all in one quick movement. She stood to face Kate, who stared at her inquisitively. _

_"What are you doing here?" Violet asked, finding it hard to find her words. She hadn't expected anybody to come up here. _

_"I came to check on you. It's a good thing I did." Kate was raising her voice slightly as she stared at the bottle of pills in Violet's hand. _

_"I was just getting some Tylenol, Kate. I think I have a fever." Violet said, but she didn't think she sounded too convincing, especially because she couldn't convince herself. Kate stared at her, as thought considering if she was telling the truth. Then she stepped forward and placed her hand on Violet's forehead. Violet felt so angry at her for stopping her, she wanted nothing more than to swat Kate's hand away, but she knew if she got too defensive, Kate wouldn't believe her._

_"You're really hot. We should go see Jack." Kate looked at Violet, and then her gaze fell to the bottle of pills in Violet's hand, who was clutching them a little too tightly. "Give me the bottle, Violet." _

_"What?" Violet asked, clutching the bottle even tighter._

_"You heard me." Kate replied firmly, as she held her hand out._

_"No. These are mine. I need them to take the fever down." Violet said as she backed up, feeling more nervous when Kate took a step forward. _

_"You only need one, Violet. You don't need them all." Kate said, raising her voice._

_"Yes I do! It's mine, so leave me alone Kate!" Violet shouted. All at once, Kate stepped forward and grabbed Violet's wrist, as Violet tried to pull away. She couldn't release herself from Kate's grasp, and she tried to turn herself around, but Kate managed to get her free hand around Violet and, while keeping her hand steady, she reached for the bottle. Violet put up a good fight, as she screamed and struggled as much as she could, trying to keep the bottle away from Kate._

_"Get off me Kate! Get OFF!" Violet was crying now, wishing Kate had never showed up. Finally, Kate got a hold of the bottle and twisted it out of Violet's grasp, and then let go of Violet. Violet stared at her with tears glistening in her eyes, threatening to escape. _

_"Let's go see Jack." Kate said in an almost authoritative tone._


	21. The Tempest

**Chapter Twenty One: The Tempest**

Violet walked behind Juliet and Jack as the sun started to rise up in the sky, signalling morning. They had been walking all night long, not stopping once in hopes to catch up to Daniel and Charlotte, who might have taken a break sometime in the night. They had been walking ever since Jack had agreed to help Juliet with tracking them to the Tempest, in hopes to stop them from deploying the gas at the station. For most of the night, they walked in silence. Violet was secretly happy for that, especially after Harper's comment about Violet not being allowed a gun, and the supposed reasons why. The last thing she wanted was for Jack to bring that up.

"So, who was she, anyway?" Jack asked suddenly, as they walked through a clearing that was moist from the rain. Thankfully the rain had stopped at least. Violet's clothes hadn't completely dried out yet, and her hair was still moist. At least the sun was hot, she'd rather be too hot than too cold.

"Harper Stanhope." Juliet answered honestly. "She was my therapist."

Violet was immediately intrigued. A therapist? Why would Juliet need a therapist? Was there more to that mask than she let on?

Jack simply laughed a little.

"You people have therapists?" He asked as he turned to stare at her. Juliet wasn't impressed, though. She seemed entranced in her own thoughts.

"It's very stressful being an 'Other', Jack." She said simply. Jack just shook his head with a laugh and headed on up ahead a little ways, probably to get some water. Violet took this as her opportunity.

"You said that woman, that Harper, she's a therapist?" Violet asked in a hushed whisper. Juliet glanced at her sideways, realizing she didn't want Jack in on this conversation.

"Yeah." She replied quietly.

"Is that how she knew?" Violet asked, swallowing nervously. "About...about me?" Violet knew Juliet would be able to figure out what she meant, especially after what Harper had said. Juliet sighed.

"Yes, she was asked to review your file just like I was. Ben wanted her...professional opinion on a couple of things." She replied. Violet sighed. _Great._ She thought. Harper was a therapist. Her professional opinion was no doubt referring to Violet's near-suicide attempt her first week on the island. It made her sick that Ben knew about it.

Before Violet could ask anymore questions, Jack returned with a determined look about him.

"We should keep moving. It doesn't look like Faraday and Charlotte stopped through the night, so we're going to have to pick up the pace if we want to catch them." He said, but he didn't move, he only stared at Violet. Violet felt her stomach churning, she recognized that look, and immediately shook her head.

"No way, Jack." She said simply.

"Violet, you know the way back to the beach, right?" Jack asked. Violet looked to Juliet, hoping for some kind of support, but she didn't even look at Violet.

"Yeah I know the way, Jack, but I'm not going back." She said quietly.

"Look, Violet, these people, I don't trust them, and they ran off in the middle of the night, without telling anyone where they were going. Now Juliet's 'friend' tells us they're on their way to set off a gas that will kill everyone. That's the _last_ place I want you to be, Violet." Jack added. Violet shook her head and looked at Juliet, who was looking at her seriously.

"Jack's right, Violet, it's very dangerous. I think you'll be safer at the beach." Juliet said. Violet shook her head and crossed her arms.

"So you think it's safer to send me back through the jungle by myself, unarmed? Yeah, that's real smart. What if that Harper woman is just waiting there for you to send me back? I _won't_ let the Others take me again, okay?" Violet sighed. "Besides, if you think I just want to sit around on the beach, waiting for a killer gas to kill everybody, no thanks. I'd rather be somewhere I can at least do something to help."

Both Jack and Juliet shared a glance, that very same glance she was used to seeing when they made decisions without her. She was sick and tired of being treated like a child. She had been on this island just as long as Jack had, what made them think they had the right to protect the people on it, but Violet didn't? It made her so angry.

Jack, defeated, breathed out.

"Fine, but if I tell you to do something, you _do_ it, understand?" He asked. Violet raised an eyebrow.

"As long as it doesn't involve sending me back." She pointed out, determined not to lock herself into a promise he would try to use later. He sighed.

"Sometimes I think you can read my mind, Violet." He laughed a little, but Violet didn't laugh. She didn't need to read anybody's mind - she had been left behind too many times to count, and nearly everytime, she hadn't listened and followed them anyway. By now, they should know better than try and reason with her.

So, the trek continued, and silence surrounded them, and that was fine. She knew Jack wasn't impressed with her presence, but Violet hardly cared. Maybe she would have cared what Jack thought over a month ago, but ever since their time at the Hydra, and Jack's betrayal, she didn't care. Maybe if it had been Kate...

The three ended up in a small clearing and Jack looked around and saw footprints in the mud.

"We gotta keep moving. If what Harper said is true, we have to get to that station before Faraday and Charlotte do something dangerous." Jack said, and they started to head out,

but they heard a small sound.

Everyone froze, and Jack and Juliet promptly pulled out their guns and circled the area, searching for the source of the noise. Violet felt helpless, why couldn't they just give her a gun?

Jack looked around until he found the source of the noise. He put his gun away and ran toward a bush, where Violet realized someone was laying there, someone who seemed to be waking up from unconsciousness.

Jack went straight to the person, leaning down, helping them up into a sitting position. Violet's stomach sank when she realized who it was.

Kate.

"Kate, are you alright?" Jack asked, as he pulled out a rag from his backpack and began dabbing at Kate's head, which was bleeding. Kate looked very disoriented and only saw Jack. She hadn't seen Violet. Violet swallowed.

"What happened?" Jack asked, holding Kate steady. Kate struggled to keep her eyes open as she breathed heavily, trying to find her tongue.

"I was...I was coming back from Locke's camp. I found Charlotte and Dan here. I turned my head for just a second and she knocked me out." She explained, rubbing her eyes. Violet felt her heart hammering, feeling a bunch of different things. She felt scared - clearly whoever Dan and Charlotte were, they weren't exactly the good guys. She felt confused - why had Kate left Locke's camp? She felt angry - all she wanted to do was confront Kate for leaving her, _scream_ at her, but she knew now wasn't the time.

"Jack," Kate said suddenly, looking at Jack. "They had gas masks with them."

Violet's eyes widened. So, Harper was _right_. They were going to set off the gas that would kill everyone on the island. Ben had been right - the people from the freighter hadn't come to rescue them after all.

"I'll go get her some water." Juliet said suddenly, and Violet turned to see Juliet heading off into the jungle. Violet recognized something strange about the way Juliet was leaving. Violet, shaking her head to herself, wondered how Jack could be so stupid. Juliet wasn't going to get water at all - she was going to the Tempest, _alone._ Jack was so busy with Kate, he didn't even clue in on that. Juliet didn't want to be slowed by Kate's presence, so she took the initiative and went on, by herself. Violet wouldn't let her.

"I'm just getting some water too." Violet said distantly and took off, not even hearing Jack call after her.

"Can you see okay?" Jack asked, moving his finger back in forth of Kate's face. Kate sighed, nodding.

"Jack, why are you out here?" She wanted to know.

"We started following Dan and Charlotte's trail last night. They took off without telling anyone. I don't trust them, so we started to follow them." Jack replied.

"Why'd you bring Violet?" Kate asked, forcing herself to stand up. Jack helped her and shook his head with a bit of a laugh.

"She's getting harder and harder to convince to listen to anybody. Even if I had told her to stay on the beach, she'd be here anyway." He paused. "She wouldn't listen to me anymore, anyway. I've definitely noticed things are different between her and me, ever since the barracks." Kate smiled.

"I'm sure things are fine." She looked around, realizing she saw no sign of Juliet _or_ Violet. "They're taking a while, aren't they?"

Jack turned and saw no sign of them either and swallowed hard.

Breathing out, he realized they weren't coming back.

* * *

Juliet was running as fast as she could, which made it really hard for Violet to keep up, _especially_ quietly. She wouldn't let on that she was following Juliet until it was too late to send her back. Violet knew Juliet was trying to do this on her own, but she wouldn't let her, that was _suicide_. How could they know if Dan or Charlotte were armed. Two against one was hardly a fair fight.

Although, Violet wasn't armed either, so what good was she?

It didn't matter. She kept running, keeping Juliet in plain sight as she held back. No doubt, Juliet wanted to get there quickly, to avoid being caught by Jack and Kate, who would realize sooner or later the two were gone and not returning.

They couldn't have been very far from the Dharma station when they found Kate, because it was only 15 minutes after Violet started chasing Juliet that she stopped in front of a large building. Violet held back in the bushes as Juliet slowly approached the building, circling it cautiously. Juliet pulled out her gun and held it close. Swallowing, not really looking forward to Juliet's reaction to her presence, Violet emerged from the bushes and approached Juliet slowly.

Juliet spun around when she heard the approaching footsteps and held her gun up, breathing out quickly when she realized it was Violet. She lowered her gun and walked up to Violet quickly.

"What are you doing here?" She asked in a fierce whisper. Violet swallowed, staring up at Juliet with serious eyes.

"I had a bad feeling." She said quietly. "Why didn't you just wait for us?" Juliet shook her head.

"There wasn't time." She replied. Violet raised an eyebrow.

"There wasn't time?" She asked, not thoroughly convinced. She could have waited for Jack, he would have been another minute or two, but something told Violet that Juliet ran off for other reasons.

Juliet looked away.

"Look, Violet, this isn't your war to fight. It's mine." She said quietly. Violet stared at her seriously and swallowed hard.

"No it isn't." She paused, thinking about what Harper had said. Ben was the one who wanted Juliet to do this. The thought made her nervous. "Unless you're on Ben's side. Are...are you still working for them?" If she were, then Violet was in a pickle now. She hadn't considered that, running after her in the jungle. If Juliet was working for Ben-

"I'm not on Ben's side, Violet, and no, I'm not working for them. But listen to me. If Harper was right about Dan and Charlotte, then they could release enough gas to kill every man, woman and child on this island. I have to stop them." Juliet said slowly but firmly. Violet raised an eyebrow, as she continued to stare at Juliet, refusing to falter.

"Even if it means...killing them?" She asked. Harper had told her to kill them. Would Juliet actually take a life? She remembered the lifeless Danny Pickett lying in the sand when she had been freed. What exactly was Juliet capable of?

Juliet didn't answer right away, she only stared at Violet sympathetically. The young girl had seen so many things that a 14-year-old girl should never see. Death, murder, true evils. It wasn't fair, none of it was fair.

"I hope it won't come to that." Juliet said quietly. "But I have to get them to stop. I'm going in now, and I want you to stand here and wait for me." Violet stared at her and opened her mouth to argue but Juliet interrupted.

"I know we told you you could come along, but the rules were that you would listen to us, so I'm telling you to listen now. It could be _very_ dangerous in there." Juliet explained.

"So why should you go in alone?" Violet asked moodily. Juliet raised an eyebrow, holding up her gun.

"Because I'm armed, and you're not. End of argument." She replied. Violet stared at the gun, exhaling and crossing her arms. Juliet was right - she wasn't going to win this argument.

"Sorry, Violet, but I'm not letting you get in harm's way if I can help it." She released the safety off her gun. "Just stay out here. Jack and Kate should be here soon, once they realize we're gone." Violet looked away, feeling angry about being left behind again, but Juliet didn't stick around to comfort her. There was no time. Anything could be going on inside the Tempest.

* * *

Juliet felt nervous leaving Violet outside to the elements. Anything could happen to her out there. Others, polar bears, the Smoke Monster, but Juliet felt she didn't have a choice. Harper had told Juliet the two from the freighter had come here to deploy a deadly gas to the island. If that were true, it didn't matter what else could get Violet, because she would be dead like the rest of them if Juliet didn't do something.

She entered the Tempest slowly, making sure to carry herself silently, one foot at a time, holding her gun at the ready, keeping her eyes peeled in every direction. She had never been inside this Dharma station, and didn't know her way around as well as she'd like, but it didn't matter, because she soon heard noise coming from up ahead, and she carefully made her way toward it.

Juliet found herself on a platform overlooking what looked like a laboratory, and it sounded as though some kind of alarm was going off. She looked around and realized someone was sitting at a computer wearing a hazmat suit and mask, typing away furiously.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a staircase leading down into the main lab and descended carefully, slowly, although with that deafening alarm going off, she doubted she'd be heard.

She approached whoever was typing from behind and held up her gun.

"Hey!" She shouted, and the person turned around quickly, staring up at Juliet.

It was Daniel. He looked worried.

"Juliet, what are you _doing_ here?" He asked. She didn't falter, she held up her gun.

"Get away from the computer." She ordered. Daniel stared at her with sad eyes, stared at her gun.

"I'm sorry, Juliet, but I can't do that." He said silently, his voice in a slight panic. Juliet stared at him, waiting, but Daniel only turned back to the computer and began to type again.

"Hey!" Juliet yelled, but Dan wouldn't stop. Angrily, Juliet reached forward and pulled Dan's mask off his face.

"You want to kill us all, fine, but you die with the rest of us!" She exclaimed, holding her gun up. Daniel shook his head, putting his hands up.

"N-no, Juliet, I'm not trying to release the gas, I'm trying to render it inert. I'm just trying to make it safe." He tried explaining. Juliet felt herself shaking slightly, confused by everything that was going on. Harper said they were trying to kill everyone, but Dan said he was trying to save everyone. Juliet held her gun up, not sure what to believe.

* * *

Violet had watched everything from above. No, of course she hadn't listened to Juliet. She stayed outside for maybe a full moment before she realized she couldn't just let Juliet go in without help. Violet wasn't exactly sure what she could do, but she had to at least try.

She followed the source of a loud beeping noise and soon found herself standing on a platform overlooking some lab type place, and she immediately crouched down on her knees when she saw Juliet holding Dan at gunpoint, ordering him to stop what he was doing. For some reason, Dan wouldn't stop! Juliet was holding him at _gunpoint_, and he kept going. Juliet yelled at him, but he wasn't budging. Violet swallowed hard as she realized someone else was sneaking up on Juliet from behind.

It was Charlotte!

"Juliet, look out!" Violet screamed and Juliet whirled around, obviously surprised by hearing Violet's voice, but even more surprised to realize Charlotte was attacking her from behind. Juliet moved out of the way, but Charlotte charged. The two women were fighting hard, throwing violent punches left and right. Violet ran down the stairs, not sure what she would do once she was below, but when she got the bottom, she saw Juliet and Charlotte flying into a glass cabinet. Violet's heart was pounding.

"Stop it!" She screamed out, but neither Juliet nor Charlotte were stopping. They were screaming, hitting, pushing, kicking. That was when Violet realized Juliet had dropped her gun. Both Charlotte and Juliet were reaching for it, but only to be foiled by the other. Sick of feeling helpless, Violet ran into the madness and scrambled to grab the gun of the floor, hands shaking. Looking helplessly at Juliet and Charlotte behind her, who were still fighting, Violet turned instead to Daniel, who was still typing furiously. She stood beside him so he would see her, and held up her gun.

"Stop it." She said simply, trying not to let her hands shake with the gun. This was, after all, only her second time holding a gun, and as she recalled, the first time hadn't gone over so well.

Daniel merely looked up again and shook his head.

"Violet, I'm sorry, but I _have_ to do this! I'm trying to save us." He replied softly. Violet shook her head.

"You're lying! You're trying to kill us!" She screamed out. Daniel shook his head again.

"No, I'm not, I promise you, Violet, I'm trying to make it safe." He said again. Violet held the gun up, not planning on pulling the trigger, but hoping to instill enough fear in Daniel to make him stop.

"Violet!" It was Juliet, and Violet could only turn in enough time to see Charlotte charging right toward her.

Violet had no time for anything, as Charlotte hit her hard and Violet fell hard to the floor, still holding the gun. She tried to scramble away, but Charlotte grabbed her legs, dragging her back. Charlotte went to grab the gun away from Violet, but Violet clung hard. There was a struggle, and Violet pulled and Charlotte pulled. Then everything happened so fast. Violet tried to move away, but Charlotte got a hold of the gun, and in the middle of the struggle, the gun went off.

Violet felt a stabbing pain, and then blackness.

Juliet collided with Charlotte and they both slid across the floor. Juliet punched Charlotte hard, and she went down. Juliet scrambled to find the gun, grabbed it, picked it up and stood over Charlotte, staring down at her, breathing heavily. In the corner of her eye, she saw Violet lying in a small pool of blood, unconscious. Juliet felt a small pang of emotion, but right now, she had to take care of Dan and Charlotte. She held the gun on Charlotte.

"Whatever he's doing, tell him to stop!" She ordered, motioning toward Daniel, who was still typing like crazy. Charlotte stared at up at Juliet with pleading eyes.

"Juliet, we're trying to disable the gas before Benjamin Linus can use it on the island, use it against us all!" She exclaimed desperately. Juliet stared at her, unsure, still holding her gun. Charlotte leaned up on her elbows.

"Juliet, look me in the eye, and tell me that you are certain Ben wouldn't use this gas to kill everyone if he had the chance." She said quietly. Juliet stared at her, considering her words and holding her gun as Daniel typed. Suddenly, a computerized voice bellowed through the room.

"10 seconds to release." Juliet's heart skipped a beat as she realized that if Daniel didn't fix the problem, they would all be dead in 10 seconds!

An inner struggle went on inside of Juliet. If Harper was right, then Daniel wasn't trying to fix it, he was the one _causing_ the gas to deploy.

But then, Juliet considered what Charlotte had said. She knew Ben, and she knew what he was capable of. He knew about this station. He had used this station once before to kill the members of the Dharma Initiative years ago. What was to stop him from doing it again?

"6 seconds to release." The voice echoed, and the more Juliet thought about it, the more she believed Daniel was doing everything in his power to stop it. But now, Juliet was getting nervous, for they were only seconds away, and he was still typing.

"3 seconds to release."

"Daniel!" Charlotte screamed.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm almost-"

"1 second to release."

Daniel hit one final key.

The alarm stopped.

It all stopped.

Juliet held her gun tightly, staring at Daniel, who stared at the computer screen, a wave of relief washing over his face. Juliet let out her breath. They were safe.

Well, not everyone.

Juliet ran back to Violet, who was lying there, unconscious. Juliet knew she had been shot, but was now able to see just where, and how serious.

The bullet wound was in the girl's abdomen. Juliet cursed under her breath as she checked Violet's pulse. She still had one, but there wasn't much time. She was bleeding too much.

Ripping her sweater off over her head, and tearing it apart into large pieces, she managed to get a long strip of fabric around Violet's stomach, tying it off tightly to help stop the bleeding.

"Is she alright?" Daniel asked. Juliet shook her head, frantic.

"We have to get her out of here!" She exclaimed. "Will you help me?" Daniel nodded and gently reached down to heave Violet up into his arms, Juliet helping him. Charlotte stood aside and Juliet could only glare at her. Juliet's heart was hammering in her chest. They didn't have much time!


	22. A Close Call

**Chapter Twenty Two: A Close Call**

Daniel held Violet in his arms with ease as he followed Juliet out of the Tempest, Charlotte trailing behind. Juliet couldn't tear her eyes away from Violet, frantic to make sure she was still breathing, still _living._

Violet was breathing, but she was struggling to. The blood was already leaking through the makeshift bandage Juliet had made. They couldn't bring her to the beach, there wasn't the right medical equipment there to deal with this. She would have to bring her to the Staff, the same medical station she had brought Sun and Violet only, what, a week or so ago? It seemed like ancient history now. Juliet knew there was some medical equipment there, but they would have to hurry.

They ran out into the sunlight, and Juliet quickly realized both Jack and Kate were just arriving, Jack's gun held at the ready. It didn't take the two long to realize who Dan had in his arms, and what was wrong.

Kate gasped as she and Jack ran forward.

"What happened?" Kate yelled out, running next to Violet and seeing the bloodied bandage around her stomach, cringing when she heard the girl breath. Jack was already checking her pulse and other vitals. Juliet quickly noticed that Jack and Kate were both eyeing Dan and Charlotte ferociously.

"They're on our side. Look, I'll explain everything later, but we don't have a lot of time." She turned to Jack. "The bullet's in her abdomen, we need to get it out, and fast. She's losing a lot of blood. The beach doesn't have the medical supplies we'd need to do it properly. The Staff's closer. It's a medical station used by the Dharma Initiatve...used by us, there's stuff there, but we need to hurry." Jack nodded, and motioned for Juliet to lead the way.

"Who did this to her?" Kate asked, as they headed out, Dan following up behind, carrying Violet. Jack stayed close to Violet, checking on her every few minutes. Before Juliet even had an answer, Charlotte was the one to speak up.

"Yes, I'm very sorry about that, but I had to do something. It was purely accidental, but the girl was holding a gun to Dan's head. I had to get the gun away from her. It went off in the struggle." She said as-a-matter-of-factly. Kate stopped and got in Charlotte's face, feeling the anger rising up inside of her.

"And you actually thought a 14-year-old girl would _shoot _someone?" Kate yelled. Charlotte simply stared at Kate and shrugged.

"We couldn't take any chances." She said. Kate glared at her, and then looked over at Violet, who seemed so frail, so small, so...

"I swear on my life, if that kid _dies_, you will be sorry!" Kate threatened, turning away from Charlotte to keep up with the rest of the group. Juliet swallowed. It didn't matter how much convincing she would try and do, Kate would always blame Charlotte for what happened in there. And, though Juliet wouldn't admit it to anyone, she would too.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the Staff, and Juliet flung open the doors, leading the way. Nobody bothered to ask the questions they all had in their minds - what was this place, and how did Juliet know about it? All that mattered right now was Violet, and she was losing a lot of blood.

Juliet led the way down into the locker room where a hidden room was kept from view. She rushed as she turned the crank that opened it up and motioned for Daniel to bring Violet in.

"Put her here, Dan." She said quietly, putting her hand on the small bed that Sun had been on for an ultrasound only days earlier. Jack was already at the tap, washing his hands and looking over his shoulder at Violet.

"You all need to leave, we're gonna need space." Juliet said after Dan gently placed Violet on the small table. Dan and Charlotte nodded and left the room, but Kate didn't move, and she didn't look to Juliet, but to Jack.

"I'm not leaving her." She said simply. Jack nodded, breathing out.

"Fair enough." He approached Violet, peeling away the makeshift bandage that was wrapped around her while Juliet gathered some supplies. Kate watched the unconscious girl with a knot forming in her stomach, her heart hammering hard in her chest. Was this her fault? Could she blame herself? If she hadn't gone and stayed at Locke's camp, she might have been able to convince Violet not to follow Jack and Juliet through the jungle.

She sighed, knowing no amount of convincing would have ever convinced the infamous stubborn Violet Deville.

"She's still bleeding!" Jack exclaimed, looking to Juliet, who hurried over with a set of instruments and lots of gauze.

"You need to remove the bullet." Juliet said, leaning over Violet to look at the wound. She cringed a little, this wasn't good.

"There's too much blood, I can't see where the bullet is." Jack said, and Juliet acted quickly, gathering up as much gauze as she could to clear the blood, after first pouring on some alcohol. Kate felt sick to her stomach - there was so much.

It seemed to take forever to clear away all the blood, as more kept coming, but Jack was able to maneuver a medical tool into the wound, pushing against it to open it up a little more, hoping to catch a glimpse of the bullet.

"Juliet, I still can't see it, can you clean it up more?" Jack said frantically, as Juliet set right to work. Kate was holding Violet's hand, feeling tears stinging her eyes. The girl's face was as white as a sheet, and her lips were blue. Her breathing was haggard and her face was sweating. Kate couldn't even bring herself to look at what Jack and Juliet were doing anymore. Violet's life was hanging in the balance, and how had she left things? No doubt, Violet had been nothing but angry at Kate ever since she decided to stay at Locke's camp. Had that anger driven Violet to be reckless, and try to intervene in the Tempest? _Kate, stop assuming the worst. _She told herself, but as she looked at the young girl, lying there helplessly, she couldn't help but feel at least partially responsible. _If I had been here..._

"I see it." Jack said suddenly, snapping Kate out of her thoughts. She forced herself to realize what was happening, and Jack was motioning to Juliet, pointing. She nodded, and grabbed some medical instrument, and as Jack held Violet's stomach still and open, Juliet reached in with the instrument and tried to yank the bullet out.

Kate quickly noticed that, even though unconscious, Violet's body was reacting to the pain. Her body was twitching, and small groans were escaping her lips.

"Kate, hold her still!" Jack shouted, causing Kate to jump. She quickly moved around the small table and grabbed hold of Violet's shoulders, pressing them down, feeling tears rolling down her cheeks as she tried to tune out the painful cries beneath her.

"I've almost...got it." Juliet said, struggling.

"Damn it, Juliet, she's bleeding, you've got to get it out!" Jack yelled. Kate bit her lip, closed her eyes and held Violet down. _Let her live, let her live, let her live..._

"Got it." Juliet said, exhaling deeply, and Kate forced herself to open her eyes enough to see Juliet placing a bloodied bullet on the table next to her.

"The bleeding's easing." Jack said, breathing out himself. Kate felt herself releasing a breath too, glad to hear Violet's own breathing relaxing a little.

As Jack cleaned the wound again, and started to bandage it, Kate brushed Violet's hair out of her face, and sniffled as she considered what could have been. In just the blink of an eye, she had nearly lost Violet, and it wasn't the first time. How many times now had she thought Violet dead, or close to dead? She remembered when Violet was trapped in the trees by a polar bear, she remembered the endless weeks after Violet had been taken by the Others, imagining her dead the whole time, she remembered when her lungs filled up with the gas from the barracks, and she had nearly died then too. Juliet had saved her then, and here she was again, helping.

"She's going to be okay." Jack said under his breath, still concentrating on Violet. Kate felt a tear roll down her cheek, as she felt a breath of relief escaping.

She couldn't help but notice an expression of relief washing over Juliet's face as well, and a tear of her own.

* * *

Juliet needed air, and she stood outside of the Staff, breathing heavily to herself, considering everything that had happened within the last hour or so. Dan and Charlotte had already headed back to the beach, Violet was slowly recovering, and Juliet tried to stay strong. This was all her fault. She shouldn't have listened to Harper - if she had just forced herself to believe that Ben was a liar and a manipulator, she never would have followed Dan and Charlotte to the Tempest, and Violet's life wouldn't have been put at risk. She could have _died_, Juliet forced herself to recognize this. Yes, Ben was responsible, but Juliet couldn't excuse herself. She knew what Ben was like, she knew he liked to play mind games, and yet she still listened to him.

She wanted to scream in frustration, and it was then that she turned to realize she was no longer alone.

"Jack." She stammered, sniffling, and looking away, embarrassed by her exposure of emotions. She was usually so good at masking them.

"Hey. I think Violet's in good enough shape to carry her back now. We'll go slow, but we should leave before it gets dark." Jack puckered his brow, realizing something was wrong. "You okay?"

Juliet hesitated, bit her lip and then shook her head.

"I listened to him, Jack. He lied. He sent Harper to tell me I had to stop them from harming everyone on the island, and they were only here to stop that gas. He lied, but I listened to him, and now Violet..." She trailed off, looking away, trying to keep herself from crying. Jack took a step closer.

"Violet's going to be okay." He tried to comfort.

"But she might not have been. I should have waited for you, and for Kate, I should have known better than to leave her out there alone, but I thought...I thought I had to stop them or we'd all be dead." She felt a tear down her face. "I should have known better than to listen to him."

"Hey, it's going to be okay." Jack tried to comfort. Juliet looked up at him and then breathed out, shaking her head.

"Listen Jack, those people on the freighter, they came to wage war against Ben. You don't know Ben like I do - Ben _is_ going to win. And..." she paused, swallowing. "And when he does, you won't want to be anywhere near me, Jack." Jack puckered his brow, staring at her intensely.

"Why not?" He asked.

Juliet hesitated, recalling a conversation she had with Ben what seemed like ages ago, and yet still so present in her mind. It haunted her nearly every time she heard his name. She swallowed.

"Because he thinks I'm his." She breathed out. "And he knows how I feel about you, Jack. I...I don't want to see you get hurt." She began to cry again, but Jack didn't react, not the way she had expected him to. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her passionately, and Juliet felt frozen in the moment. Jack released the kiss and stared at her with a smile.

"Well, he knows where to find me."


	23. Pain and Apologies

**Chapter Twenty Three: Pain and Apologies**

Covering Violet in a blanket they found in the Staff, Jack gently lifted her up in his arms and carried her out of the medical building. Juliet and Kate followed, and tried to keep a steady pace, wanting to reach the beach camp before night fell.

But Jack had to stop more than once to rest. It wasn't as though Violet was heavy, but it was a rather long journey, and when they finally reached the beach camp, night had fallen, and Juliet and Kate had led the way with torches.

"I'm gonna put her in my tent for the night, that's where all the medical stuff is. We can keep a better eye on her that way." Jack said as he quietly carried Violet through the camp, not wanting to wake anyone up and cause a panic. He ignored Charlotte and Dan, who watched on with unreadable expressions.

Juliet pulled aside the makeshift tarp door and Jack carried Violet inside, gently easing her down on his bed. She stirred slightly, but didn't wake up. Her face was still as pale as a sheet and her breathing was still laboured. Jack had to convince Kate that it was perfectly normal, and she was going to be okay. They needed to let her sleep it off.

But Kate couldn't sleep. She was in and out of Jack's tent all night, checking on Violet, needing to be sure the girl was still breathing. Finally, as the sun was starting to peak in the sky, Jack convinced Kate to go for a walk, to gather her thoughts and take some time for herself.

While Kate was gone, Violet began to stir quietly in Jack's tent. She could feel the hot sun coming through the makeshift tent as consciousness slowly returned to her. She felt weak, she felt tired, she felt thirsty, and as she slowly opened her eyes, she felt intense pain in her stomach, enough to make her nearly cry out.

"What-" She managed to mutter, as she struggled to grab hold of her shirt, lifting it up to see a gauze bandage covering a bloodied wound. Violet laid her head down carefully and very nearly threw up. She remembered everything. She remembered Harper, she remembered finding Kate in the jungle and she remembered following Juliet to the Tempest, where Juliet had told her to stay outside. Violet remembered that she hadn't listened, and gone in anyway. Then there was that struggle with Charlotte, and the gun had gone off.

_I've been shot!_ She thought, swallowing hard as she tried to lie still. It hurt, oh but it hurt!

She craned her neck when she heard heavy breathing and realized Vincent was in the tent with her, lying on the ground, fast asleep. Violet cringed as the pain grew worse in her stomach. She hoisted herself up on her elbows, wincing from the pain as she tried to sit up.

It was then that Juliet walked into the tent, and saw Violet trying to sit up. She immediately shook her head.

"What are you doing?" She came in quickly and gently pressed Violet's shoulders back down so she was in a lying position. "I don't want you to move if you can help it." She said quietly, as she took a seat beside Violet, who was breathing heavier now.

"How...what happened at the Tempest? I mean...I know I was shot, but how did I get here?" She asked weakly.

"We brought you to the Dharma medical station." Juliet replied simply, as she prepared a cold compress and pressed it onto Violet's forehead. "We got the bullet out and Jack carried you back here. That was last night."

A silence followed, as Violet accepted a bottle of water Juliet offered and sipped it carefully, trying not to move. Her stomach was killing her!

"Violet, I wanted to apologize to you." Juliet said suddenly, causing Violet to turn to face her, surprise written on her face.

"What for?" She asked, her voice quiet and raspy. Her stomach was on fire - how long was this going to take to heal?

"I should have tried harder to keep Charlotte away from you. I should have been there, so that gun never would have gone off around you." Juliet said quietly, looking at Violet with sad eyes. Violet swallowed, this was strange, hearing an apology from Juliet. Violet sighed.

"It's okay, I mean, well, I guess I shouldn't have followed you in the first place, you know, to the Tempest. But..." she cleared her throat. "I guess I just wasn't sure, you know, if we could...trust you." Violet felt bad saying it, but it was truth. Juliet had been planted in this camp as a mole before. How much was she truly on their side now?

Juliet considered her and shook her head a little.

"After everything that's happened, after everything I've done to help all of you, to help you, to give you that letter, do you still not trust me?" She asked. No, she wasn't angry or even disappointed, she just wanted to know. Violet swallowed, looking at Juliet, biting her lip. She remembered the time she spent at the Hydra, the time she had tried escaping. Juliet had been the one to catch her and she promised to keep her attempted escape a secret from Ben, and warned her against doing it again. She helped save her life when Ben had shocked Violet into unconsciousness and even brought Jack to see her, though Ben didn't order it. After all that, she managed to tell Violet the truth about her father, giving her his letter and letting them all leave that other island, free and safe. Did she trust her?

Violet breathed out.

"I guess I do." She said quietly, pressing her hand against her stomach in pain. Juliet took hold of her wrist and eased it away.

"Don't touch it, it's not going to heal if you do." Juliet smiled sympathetically. "I know it hurts like hell, but you won't be able to do much of anything if you don't let it heal. Here, I have some painkillers you can take. I also want you to take this antibiotic. It helps prevent infection." Juliet handed her two little pills, each a different color and gave Violet back the water bottle. Violet took them obediently, glad for anything that would help take the pain away. She leaned back and groaned a little. Juliet looked at her for a few seconds before she smiled again.

"Get some rest." She said. "You're going to need it."

She gave Vincent a small pat on the head and left the tent. Violet breathed out as she tried to ease herself into a more comfortable position, but it was a fruitless attempt. Everything caused pain.

As she laid there silently, she couldn't help but wonder how close she had been to death. Juliet hadn't told her much, but then, they hardly ever did. Why did they have to treat her so much like a child? It drove her nuts, most days. All Juliet would tell her was that they removed the bullet and brought her back here. Violet had been unconscious the whole time. How close had she been?

She sighed, leaning over to scratch Vincent's ear. _Would it have been the worst thing if they had just let me die?_ She thought bitterly.

"Violet?" A voice pierced the silence and Violet looked up to see her standing there.

Kate.

Violet immediately looked away, trying to ignore the piercing pain in her stomach, as well as the pain in her heart. She still hadn't forgotten that Kate had left her, promising to return only to decide instead to stay at Locke's camp, without any kind of explanation other than she chose to. Violet felt so angry and so betrayed, the last thing she wanted to do was see, or even _talk_ to Kate.

Kate picked up on this immediately, noticing Violet's refusal to meet her eye. Kate sighed, knowing this would happen, but she refused to just leave. She owed Violet an explanation, and as much as she felt like running away from a potential blowup, she needed to stay.

She didn't sit, she just stood at the end of Violet's bed and managed a small smile.

"Hey...kiddo." She said quietly. She was met with silence. Violet wouldn't even _look_ at her. Kate felt both frustrated and saddened. Violet had nearly lost her life last night and all Kate wanted to do was collect the girl in her arms and hold her close, glad she hadn't lost her after all. But now, she had to respect that Violet was angry.

"Look, I can't imagine how you must feel toward me right now, but-"

"How I feel? How _I_ feel? If you had actually cared an _ounce_ about me, you wouldn't have made empty promises, Kate! I thought you were only going to trade Miles for Charlotte! That's what you _said_ you were going to do! Did you know when you left that day that you weren't coming back? Why did you lie to me? Or were you just desperate for some kind of escape, if you wanted to drop me that badly, you could have just _said_ something!" Violet screamed out.

"It's not like that at _all_ Violet, that's not why I left, and no, I didn't know when I left that I would stay!" Kate felt frustrated and rubbed her temples with her fingers. It had been a long couple of days, but this was important. She lowered her voice into a calmer tone. "Look, I stayed because I needed to know whether or not the people on that boat knew about us, all of us. I was a wanted criminal before we crashed on this island, Violet, I needed to know if they knew that about me or not. Because if they did, and we were rescued, I'd be arrested as soon as we docked. I needed to be sure, Violet."

"So, you couldn't have passed that message along with Sayid when he came back? You couldn't have just asked Sayid to tell me _any_ of that? That would have made everything a lot easier! It would have been a lot easier than just leaving me there, _believing_ you were coming back! I mean, what if the people on that boat had decided right then and there to take everyone off the island? As if I would have had any chance to run off and find you, not with Jack around! If they had come, Kate, I would have been _gone!_ So much for your promise!" Violet looked away, a tear rolling down her cheek. Kate was stuck. It was true, it was all true. Kate had made a mistake and she knew it. She couldn't correct it either. All she could do was apologize and hope Violet would one day forgive her.

* * *

_July 2005...part 1_

_Soccer practice had gone late again, and Violet packed up her gear, running out the door, hoping to make it home before Kate did. Without leaving a note or even phoning, Kate wouldn't be thrilled if Violet made it home later than she did. Luckily, Kate had an appointment that afternoon for Aaron's checkup. But Violet would have to hurry if she was going to make it before they did._

_Barging through the front door of the large house bought with the Oceanic settlement, she held her breath as she waited for the footsteps and sounds of Kate lecturing her, but nothing came. Breathing out, she set her bag down, glad to have made it before Kate and Aaron._

_It only took her a second to realize the phone was ringing. Thinking it could be Kate, she barrelled down the hallway into the kitchen, grabbing the phone before it went to the answering machine._

_"Hello?" She answered, falling to the ground, out of breath._

_"Vi?" A familiar voice asked. Violet's face erupted into a large smile._

_"Hurley!" She cried out excitedly. "I haven't heard from you in ages!"_

_"I know, sorry dude, it's been a little crazy lately, you know, extended family wanting to see me, 'cause they all, like, thought I was dead and all." Hurley replied._

_"It's okay, you're forgiven, but only if you're calling because you want to come visit or something." _

_"Well, kinda, but more than that. Guess what?"_

_"What?"_

_"Sun's in labour. She's in Korea right now, heading to the hospital. She called me to tell me."_

_"That's awesome!"_

_"Yeah. I tried calling Jack-"_

_"He never answers his phone anymore. He's so busy at the hospital."_

_"Yeah, and I tried calling Sayid too."_

_"Have you heard from him? I haven't talked to him since his wedding." _

_"Nah, his old number's out of service now." Hurley cleared his throat. "Yeah, so like, you and Kate wanna go to Korea and see Sun?" _

_Violet smiled widely._

_"Yeah! That would be so great! I haven't seen Sun since...well since we've been back. Good timing too. It's Friday, so I have the weekend off school."_

_"You think you'll all be able to come?"_

_"Yeah, well I mean I'll talk to Kate, but it will be a no-brainer, I'm sure! It is Sun, after all. When are you flying out?"_

_"I'm taking a flight out of LAX tomorrow at 12:45p.m. American Airlines flight 483. So...you wanna just meet at the gate?" Hurley asked. Violet grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down the flight information quickly in a scrawled mess._

_"Yeah okay. I'm really looking forward to seeing you, Hurley!"_

_"Yeah dude, me too! It's been too long."_

_"Yeah, it really has." Violet smiled, feeling a tear in her eye. She was remembering the island again. It hurt everytime. There were too many they left behind. Too many memories. Katie. When would the pain end? "I'll see you tomorrow, Hurley."_


	24. Angry at Kate

_**Chapter Twenty Four: Angry at Kate**_

Violet felt the drugs kicking in a little, at least. Juliet had just given her another set of antibiotics and painkillers. She'd been lying here for hours now, told by Juliet, by Jack she wasn't to move. It didn't matter how stubborn she wanted to be, they'd said, she _had_ to rest. Even if they had to tie her down.

Of course, that had just been a joke, but then, sometimes Violet didn't doubt Jack would do anything to have his way. Sighing, she shifted uncomfortably to try and see out Jack's tent to the beach. She didn't doubt there would be hell out there, especially after people started finding out that Charlotte from the freighter was the one responsible for Violet's near-death experience.

Groaning a little from the pain, she moved her way to the edge of the bed and swung her legs over, letting a wave of dizziness pass before standing up slowly. Vincent was fast asleep, and she made sure to fasten his leash to the table in Jack's tent so he wouldn't run off if he woke up. Violet smiled to herself, sure it hurt, but it wasn't bad. Honestly, people babied her sometimes. It drove her nuts.

Violet walked around the tent a couple of times to get her bearings right and when she was comfortable with the level of pain walking brought, she left the tent and walked out to where there was a crowd of people gathered, talking.

Sun, Kate, Jack and Juliet were encircled near the water, discussing something. Violet walked out slowly, hoping to hear bits of their conversation before they realized she was eavesdropping. She had a feeling they wouldn't react too kindly to her being up.

"What happened?" Sun was asking.

"I was on my way back to the beach when I met Charlotte and Faraday in the jungle. The redhead knocked me out." Kate explained.

"She hit you?" Sun asked in surprise. Kate nodded.

"Kate, do you think they are really here to rescue us then?" Sun asked. Kate sighed, sharing a glance with Jack and then finally shook her head.

"No, I don't think so." She replied, earning her a glance from Jack. Violet smiled to herself, thinking about what that would mean. If they weren't there to rescue them, that meant they wouldn't leave the island.

But then, why _were_ they there? She knew they had come for Ben, but was there more to them than just that? Charlie had died making sure they knew it wasn't Penny's boat. Why had they made it seem as though it was? What did they have to gain from lying?

She knew, it was their trust. Make them trust you, and then when you get close enough, kill everyone. That was what Ben had said they'd come for, and after what happened at the Tempest yesterday, when she had been _shot_ because of them, Violet was becoming more and more convinced that the people from the freighter really had come to hurt them.

Charlie. She trusted Charlie with her life. He drowned, making sure everybody knew the dangers that resided on that boat, the boat that had claimed rescue. Now, the more Violet stood there listening to their conversation, the more she was beginning to believe Charlie was right. Hurley and Claire had gone with Locke because they believed Charlie, and what had Violet done? She went in the opposite direction, and for what? To stay with Kate, who ditched her anyway. Maybe she should have gone with Locke in the first place.

But then, there was still Kate, and no matter how angry she was at her right now, could she actually leave the beach camp and find Locke's camp? Even though she was madder at Kate than she had ever been, they had been through thick and thin together, could she simply just leave that behind her?

But then, Kate had left her behind.

Anger for Kate winning out, she turned from the conversation before they had even realized her presence approaching. She stalked into Jack's tent, unleashing Vincent while fuming inside. Kate didn't care about her, not really, even though she'd claimed to. If she really did care, why would she have left in the first place, never having any concrete plans to return, leaving Violet like a lost piece of luggage. No, Violet was on her own now, and she knew what she had to do.

* * *

_July 2005...part 2_

_She was doing her homework when she heard the door opening downstairs, hearing the familiar sounds of Aaron cooing away and Kate laughing along with him. They were home from the appointment._

_"Violet, are you home?" Kate's voice echoed through the large mansion seconds later. Violet, rolling her eyes, leaned back in her chair._

_"Yeah, I'm home." She responded. She decided to give it a few minutes before she barrelled down the stairs to tell her about Sun and Hurley and the flight to Seoul tomorrow. Kate wasn't a fan of being bombarded with a lot of information when she first got home, especially because she would probably have to change Aaron and feed him._

_Violet focused on her math for half an hour before she put it away, and went downstairs where she found Kate in the kitchen feeding Aaron who was in his high chair. Violet smiled her greeting._

_"Hey Violet, how was school?" Kate asked, shoving a spoonful of mushed peas in Aaron's mouth. He made the same face Violet did._

_"Fine." Violet replied, finding a spot to sit._

_"Do you have homework?"_

_"Yeah, almost done."_

_"How was soccer?"_

_"Good, we have a game in a couple of weeks. Hey, guess what?" Violet hated small talk, she wanted to get to the point, the good news. Kate looked at her._

_"What?" She asked._

_"Sun's in labour!" Violet blurted. Kate looked up, suddenly interested as she held the spoon of pea goop mid-hover. _

_"She is? How do you know?" She asked._

_"Hurley called and told me." _

_"That's great news! Good for Sun, I hope everything goes smoothly." Kate went back to feeding Aaron. Violet went on._

_"Yeah, so Hurley's taking the 12:45p.m. flight out of LAX tomorrow afternoon, so we could pack today and meet him there tomorrow. I mean, I know that doesn't give us a lot of time, especially with packing baby stuff, but I can help. And it's not like we're gonna have any problems booking, with our gold passes and everything. _And_ it's only gonna be for a couple of days so it's not like I have to take time off school or anything. Well, I'll have to miss a couple of afternoon classes tomorrow, but that's not a big deal, right?" She continued, picking at a piece of loose thread from her sweater. She didn't expect the look that Kate gave her then. It made her stomach sink._

_"What?" Kate asked. Violet puckered her brow._

_"Well I just figured it would make sense to fly with Hurley. We're in the same city. Besides, it would be fun." She replied. Kate shook her head, breathing out a slow sigh and turned back to the baby._

_"Violet, we're not going." She said. Violet's heart skipped a beat as she stared at Kate incredulously. She bit her lip as she let Kate's words sink in._

_"What?" _

_"We're not going to Korea." Kate said it calmly and yet boldly. Once Kate made decisions around here, she wasn't one to be swayed easily. Violet, however, was just as stubborn, and this wasn't fair!_

_"Why not?" She asked, trying to keep her anger under wraps, at least until she had a good reason to freak out._

_"Violet, I don't want to drag Aaron on a plane. That's a long flight, he's just a baby."_

_"Then get a babysitter!"_

_"No. Sun will be fine."_

_"But she's all alone now. She doesn't have anybody, and I think she needs us." Violet felt tears biting her eyes now and was glad Kate was still feeding the baby. She didn't see her crying._

_"Hurley's going to visit, she's in the hands of good doctors, she doesn't need us to be there." _

_"That's not fair, Kate, we should be there." Kate wasn't budging. "Fine, if you won't go, I still want to." Yeah, like she thought that was going to go over well. Kate simply shook her head._

_"No."_

_Violet slammed her fist down hard on the table, startling Aaron and causing him to start crying. Violet got a small bit of satisfaction out of the fact that Kate would be spending the next half hour trying to calm him down._

_"Kate, it's been seven months since we left that island, and we've barely kept in contact with _anyone!_ Don't you think we should at least keep in touch? I'm so _sick_ of you telling me what to do! I'm 15 now! I want to go to Korea with Hurley!" She was screaming now, making Aaron more upset and Kate more agitated. Kate pulled the baby out of his high chair and rocked him as she glared at Violet, obviously not happy._

_"I know you've never liked the decisions I've made and the rules I've set, but on the island, yeah, you didn't have to listen to me, even though most of the time, it would have saved us both a lot of trouble if you had. But now, I have the _right_ to tell you what to do, so there is no argument here. You're not going to Korea. End of discussion!" _

_Violet stared at Kate, hoping for once, just once, Kate would see her, truly see her and budge on this decision, but Kate was holding her ground. Violet only shook her head, too hurt for any words before she stormed off, leaving an agitated Kate to calm down the screaming baby._


	25. Juliet's Concern

**Chapter Twenty Five: Juliet's Concern**

Violet's first stop was Sayid's tent, and as she stalked down the beach, she glanced up and down cautiously to make sure no one was around, especially Sayid. He wouldn't understand her reasons for searching his tent, even if she tried to explain, he'd try to stop her. He'd tell Jack, Violet would get nowhere.

Vincent tried to pull her along the beach, but she kept him under control. Her stomach was still hurting, and she knew the drugs would wear off eventually. She had already thought about that. Right now, that wasn't a priority. She had survived a gunshot once before, she would do so again. Sure, the last time it had only grazed her shoulder, but still, how bad could it be?

She arrived at Sayid's tent and casually walked past it to make sure nobody was inside, and once she determined the coast was clear, Violet ducked inside and began looking through his pile of papers. She knew he had one, she'd seen him refer to it before.

"Come on." She sifted through the pile quickly, wanting to be in and out as quickly as possible, desperate to get away before anybody caught her.

Then, she found it.

Smiling, she pulled it out and checked it to be sure. Yes, it was the map to the Barracks Sayid had taken from the Flame. Violet was fairly certain she knew where the Barracks were, after all, she had been there once before, but she wasn't 100% certain she would get there without the help of a map. After all, the last time she'd been there, they had gone to the Flame first, she knew there was a shorter way.

Violet shoved it in her pocket and ducked out of the tent, scanning the beach to once again make sure the coast was clear. It was, so she headed for her next destination, leaving her backpack by the treeline so as not to arouse any suspiscion.

As she wandered down the beach, she thought about Kate, about Jack, about Juliet even. When they realized she was gone, they were not going to be happy, they would probably try to find her, which was why she had to move quickly, she wanted to be gone before they even realized she was out of Jack's tent.

She wandered back down to Jack's tent, and saw that Jack, Kate, Juliet and Sun were gone, to where, Violet didn't know, but she was glad, because she needed to get something from Jack's tent before she left.

Leaving Vincent tied to a tree outside, she lowered herself into Jack's tent and felt the sting on her stomach as she knelt down next to his bin of medication. She opened it up and started rummaging. She knew one of these bottles was the painkillers, and one of them was the antibiotics, but how was she supposed to know what it was they'd been giving her? She cursed herself for not paying enough attention.

"Come on, which is it?" She muttered under her breath, ignoring the stabbing pain that was the gunshot wound. The drugs were wearing off.

"Violet, what are you doing?"

Violet gasped and turned around, seeing Juliet entering the tent, and staring at Violet disapprovingly. Violet swallowed, she hadn't thought to come up with an adequate excuse, now she would have to think of something off the top of her head.

"I, uh, I was trying to find the painkillers. It's...it's starting to hurt again." She said, dropping the pill bottle she was holding back in the bin.

Juliet considered her for a minute before she came into the tent, and closed the lid of the bin, shoving it back in its place.

"First of all, you are supposed to be resting, not getting up and doing anything. Second of all, Violet, it's a gunshot wound, of course it's going to hurt. I'm sorry it hurts, but you have to be careful with how much of this you take. You can't take too many, you could accidentally overdose and that wouldn't be good. You should talk to Jack, or even me, if you want some medicine." Juliet lectured. Violet sighed, this wasn't how she had hoped for things to go. She wanted to make a clean get-a-way, and now, she feared Juliet might be on to her. Desperate to get her off her back, Violet breathed out.

"You're right, I should have just come and found you. I guess I just didn't want to bother you." She lied.

"Besides, it's only been two hours since you last took some painkillers, you have to wait four hours in between doses. You'll have to wait a little while longer." Juliet said, continuing her lecture. Violet nodded, even though she was fuming inside. She waited, hoping Juliet would leave so Violet could grab the pills and make a run for it, but it didn't take long for Violet to figure out Juliet wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon.

Crap! Juliet must have been suspicious of something. Had she figured out Violet was trying to leave the beach? She didn't know, but either way, Violet knew she wasn't going to get the drugs to take with her on her journey. She would have to deal with the pain, and pray for no infection.

"I think I want to take a walk." Violet said, standing up. Juliet stood with her and gave her a disapproving look.

"A walk? You? Violet, you're recovering from a gunshot wound!" She pointed out. Violet shrugged.

"I feel okay, I don't want to be cooped up all day, I just want to walk around the beach, I promise I won't be long." She lied, and didn't get an approval from Juliet, but she left anyway, grabbing Vincent's leash and stalking down the beach.

Juliet exited the tent and watched Violet wandering, and she breathed out, feeling immediately concerned. She had to find Jack.

Juliet turned from Jack's tent and began walking briskly through the camp, trying to scope out Jack, but she couldn't see him anywhere, instead, she saw Kate pouring herself a bowl of cereal. Juliet breathed out, and immediately approached Kate, who looked up surprised. It wasn't as though the two conversed regularly.

"Kate, have you seen Jack?" Juliet asked, somewhat rushed. Kate puckered her brow.

"No, what do you want with Jack?" She paused. "Is it Violet?"

"Yeah, but it's not what you think." Juliet sighed. "Kate, I think you may need to talk to her. I just caught Violet searching Jack's medical stash for her painkillers. Maybe I'm crazy, but it looked like she was in a rush, like she wanted to run off with the whole bottle, even though she _claimed_ to only want one for the pain."

Kate raised an eyebrow, dropping her spoon and staring at Juliet seriously.

"What exactly are you saying, Juliet?" She asked, and Juliet bit her lip, finally spilling.

"Look, the other night, you were still with Locke, Violet went missing. It wasn't anything serious, but I found her out at the graveyard with Vincent, alone and staring at the ocean. She was talking, and I stayed behind, listening. Maybe I shouldn't have, but Kate, she was talking about wanting to be dead, about how easy it would be to just drown. More than that, she's been asking a lot of questions lately about how her father committed suicide, wanting to know specifically how he died. I think she's obsessing over it." Juliet breathed out. "Look, Kate, I know that Violet's already attempted suicide on this island. I know about the time you caught her with a bottle of Tylenol, and I know you tried to stop her."

Kate listened intently and immediately grew concerned. She remembered that day on the hillside, when Violet refused to surrender the bottle of pills, wanting to be dead, only days after her sister was found dead. Kate had felt so much sympathy for the girl, but she thought, over the past few months, that she had overcome those feelings. Now, Juliet was saying they were back, or that they had never left. Kate swallowed, looking at Juliet.

"What makes you think she'll listen to me?" She asked. Juliet looked at her sympathetically and smiled a little.

"Because she _trusts_ you, Kate." Juliet replied simply. Kate sighed.

"Well, right now she hates me." She said, more to herself than anyone else. "But I'll do my best."

Kate found Violet by the water trough, filling up a water bottle, while holding on to Vincent's leash. Kate couldn't even believe Violet was up. She knew Jack wanted Violet to be resting, especially since she had just been shot, but typical Violet, stubborn as always. Kate wanted to give her heck for being up, but she had to be careful. She was walking on eggshells with Violet already, she didn't want to push it.

She approached Violet slowly, and noticed the look of anger and coldness in Violet's eyes when she looked up. Kate swallowed, was this anger ever going to end? Had she been holding a grudge against Kate ever since the day she left for Locke's camp? How was she going to earn her trust back?

"I need to talk to you." Kate said simply. Violet considered her for a minute before going back to filling up her water bottle.

"Go ahead." She said monotonously. Kate sighed, this was going to be difficult.

"Juliet told me you were going through Jack's pills." She said, to the point. Violet looked up and breathed out.

"Is everyone going to get on my case about this? I just wanted to take another painkiller, in case you haven't noticed, I've been _shot!_" She exclaimed.

"Yeah I know you've been shot, but you only needed one pill, not the whole bottle." Kate retorted.

"Who said I was taking the whole bottle?" Violet stopped and realized what was happening. She sighed. "Oh, I get it. Juliet told you I was taking the whole bottle. Since when do you trust Juliet anyway? I thought you told me not to trust a word she said!"

"Vi, this is too serious for me _not_ to believe her!" Kate yelled out. Violet glared at her, screwed the lid on her water bottle and took Vincent's leash.

"Fine, you don't have to believe me, Kate, I really could care less, but I'm done here." With that, Violet tugged on Vincent's leash and wandered away. Kate could only watch the girl leave, a sense of worry and panic settling on Kate. Violet's anger and isolation were concerning, and with the addition of what Juliet had told her about the pills....

Kate remembered that day on the hill as though it were yesterday. Violet fighting with all her might to hold on to this pills, desperate to take them, desperate to die. Was she back to those feelings? Had they ever left?

With no answers, and no way into Violet's life, Kate did the only thing left she could.

She ran to find Jack.


	26. Getaway

**Chapter Twenty Six: Getaway**

Kate ran as fast as her legs could carry her to the caves, where she knew Jack was collecting water. She wasn't even sure if her fears were legitimate, or if she was allowing Juliet's personal concerns to plague her with a false fear.

No, she had to face it, Violet had been suicidal before, she couldn't pretend like it wasn't an issue anymore. Sure, it could all be nothing, but she needed to tell Jack. The last time Violet had nearly swallowed that bottle of pills, it was Jack who had been her voice of reason, not Kate, and once again, it seemed as though Kate was the last person on Violet's list of people she wanted to see.

"Jack!" Kate exclaimed as she cleared through the bushes and saw Jack filling up a water bottle at the brooke. He turned around and saw her running, immediately clueing in that something was wrong. He stood up.

"It's Violet." Kate started.

"Is she bleeding again?" Jack asked, packing up, ready to run off in a heartbeat.

"No, it's not her gunshot, it's..." And she explained to Jack everything Juliet had seen that night on the beach and now today in Jack's tent with the pills. Jack listened intently and breathed out.

"Are you sure, Kate?" He asked after a moment. Kate only shrugged.

"No, I'm not, Jack. I'm only going on the word of a woman I hardly trust, but that's what Juliet saw, and knowing Violet's past...it's just, I don't know Jack, and she's so angry at me right now, I'm the _last_ person she wants to talk to. Jack, she needs you. She listened to you last time, maybe she'll listen again." She replied. Jack shrugged, looking off into the distance.

"I doubt she'll talk to me anymore than she'll talk to you, Kate. Ever since we got back from the barracks, she's been sort of hostile toward me too." He stared at Kate and noticed a look of desperation and sadness in her eyes, so he relented. "But I'll try to talk to her."

* * *

Little did they know that Violet was already on her way. While Kate and Jack were talking at the caves, Violet was headed into the jungle with her knapsack filled with water and food, Vincent leashed and by her side. No, she wasn't 100% certain how to reach the Barracks from the beach, but she didn't care. She didn't want to stick around, not anymore, everything had changed now.

She ignored the pulsing pain in her stomach and forced herself to move quickly. She didn't know how much time she would have before someone would notice she'd gone missing. She figured she had a bit of time, though. When she'd gone to make for the jungle clearing, she didn't see any sign of Jack or Kate, or Juliet either for that matter. As far as she knew, she was safe.

Violet paused in the clearing before the jungle to adjust her backpack and make sure Vincent's leash was secure. The last thing she wanted was to have to chase after Walt's dog in the depths of the jungle. She'd already lost him once, she couldn't do it again.

Finally ready, she made her way toward the jungle.

"Violet, you aren't going anywhere!" A voice called out, and Violet turned quickly to see Juliet striding up the path quickly, eyes fixed on Violet, shaking her head. "Violet, _this_ is a bad idea."

"_This_ isn't any of your business!" Violet retorted, standing her ground. She was not going to be bullied into returning to the beach. They couldn't tell her what to do, not anymore, she wouldn't let them.

"I figured out your plan, Violet." Juliet said. "You're trying to get to Locke's camp, aren't you? At first, I thought you were trying to get the medication for something else, but then I realized you were packing for a trip." Violet shook her head.

"Yeah, you thought I was going to kill myself." She said defensively, angered at their assumptions, angered at their paranoia, angered at their constant worrying over her. As if any of them truly cared anyway. "Kate already stopped by about that, so _thanks_!"

Juliet stared at her sympathetically for a moment, before she shook her head.

"Violet, you can't go to Locke's camp." She said quietly, in a voice that almost sounded desperate. "We have to get off this island, _all_ of us, and that boat out there is our best chance. If you go to Locke's camp, you'll miss it."

Violet scoffed and shook her head, looking at the sky.

"I don't know how you all haven't figured this out by now, but I don't _want_ to get off this island! I _never_ have! And those people, they aren't here to rescue us! They didn't come for us, they came for _Ben!_ And if Ben's right, then those people will kill anybody who gets in the way of that! Or worse, they'll just kill everybody anyway, what use are we once they have Ben?" She shouted.

"Violet, you can't trust Ben! He likes to play mind-games, you _know_ this!" Juliet argued, taking a step forward. Violet instinctively took a step backward.

"Whatever, but as far as I'm concerned, those people are dangerous! I'm not leaving this island, and I want to be as far away from those people as possible!" She snapped.

"What about Kate?"

"W-what?"

"What about Kate? I thought you said you didn't want to leave without her."

Violet was silent for a moment before she bit her lip and glared at Juliet defiantly.

"Yeah, well things change." She spat. Juliet only shook her head.

"Violet, I'm sorry, but I can't let you go." She said, motioning toward her stomach. "You've just been shot, or did you forget?"

"I'm fine! It's not the first time I've been shot, Juliet!" Violet retorted, remembering the time Pickett's bullet grazed her shoulder. Yeah, maybe it wasn't the same, but still.

"Violet, if that wound gets infected, it can become serious really fast and without medical treatment...Violet, you could die." Juliet swallowed, feeling desperate. "There's no one at the Barracks who could help you if that happened. You don't have the medication."

"I don't _care_ if I die!" Violet screamed loudly, surprising even herself. Ignoring the look of surprise and shock on Juliet's face, she went on. "If I die out there alone in the jungle, it wouldn't be the worst thing!"

She turned to leave, but that did it for Juliet. Without a moment's hesitation, Juliet ran forward and caught Violet's arm swiftly.

"Let go!" Violet screamed, but Juliet didn't. She pulled Violet forward, half dragging her back toward the camp, while Vincent could do nothing but follow at a quick pace. Violet struggled hard, but failed, the wound on her stomach made it difficult to fight. Juliet must have known this, and she showed no mercy as she pulled the shouting girl back toward the beach.

"Let go! You can't do this!" Violet screamed, yanking against her arm, only to feel a bruise forming on her arm where Juliet was clinging hard. Juliet was silent as she pulled her on, she was on a mission, and ignored the onlookers who watched with concern and curiousity. Juliet didn't care, sure they would wonder what was happening. Juliet, who used to be an Other, forcing Violet to follow, yeah it wouldn't look good, but it had to be done. Jack would understand.

Violet continued to fight her, screamed, pulled, everything, but Juliet got her down into her own tent, grabbed a pair of handcuffs that were on her table, and snapped one half around Violet's wrist and the other to fuselage she'd used to build her shelter. It was heavy enough; Violet wouldn't be able to free herself.

Vincent settled himself comfortably, but Violet lashed out. Juliet backed away and watched Violet for a moment with sad eyes until she stopped freaking out. She only looked up with angry tears in her eyes and glared at Juliet hard.

"Get me out of these." She said evenly. Juliet only shook her head.

"I'm sorry Violet, but you aren't going anywhere in your condition. And this whole 'I don't care if I die' attitude worries the hell out of me. I heard you talking by the ocean the other night, I heard you say you'd be satisfied if you could just drown." She lowered her voice. "Look, I know life's hard for you right now, Violet, but suicide is not the answer." She tried to be empathetic, but the girl was seeing red.

"That's _your_ opinion!" Violet snapped and yanked hard on the handcuff, making a noise that startled Vincent, and left a purple mark around the teen's wrist.

There was nothing more Juliet could do. For now, Violet had to blow of some steam, and since she couldn't go anywhere, Juliet walked out of the tent.

"Hey! You can't just leave me like this!" Violet screamed at the top of her lungs. With the dying sounds of Violet yelling after her, Juliet headed down the beach, ignoring the looks of the survivors who stared at her with surprise and even fear. She had to get Jack.


	27. Concern For Violet

**Chapter Twenty Seven: Concern for Violet**

"Why is she so mad at you, anyway?" Jack asked, as he and Kate made their way back to the beach camp. Kate only sighed, shaking her head.

"It's complicated." She said quietly, knowing Jack was just as confused over Kate's departure the other day to Locke's camp. Jack hadn't said anything, but Kate knew; his lack of saying anything about that day said it all.

They made their way into the camp and started scanning the beach for signs of Violet. Neither of them saw her right away, but as they walked through the beach trying to find her, Kate saw a figure in Juliet's tent, someone who was yanking hard at something around her wrist. Kate's stomach sank immediately when she realized it was Violet, trying to pry handcuffs off her wrist!

"Jack!" Kate grabbed his arm and pointed it out to him. He puckered his brow as he watched the girl freaking out. Before Kate could go to Violet, Juliet approached them with a worried expression on her face.

"Where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere!" She exclaimed, staring at Jack, mostly. Kate didn't care, she wanted answers. Before Jack could even respond, she stepped in.

"Maybe you can explain to me why Violet in chained up in your tent like a _criminal?_" She hissed. "I've only been gone, what, half an hour, and now this? I thought she was supposed to be resting!"

"Look, I wanted to explain this before you thought the worst." Juliet explained.

"I'm _already_ thinking the worst." Kate retorted.

"Okay, everybody calm down." Jack said. "Juliet, what happened?"

Juliet took a breath, and began to explain, mostly to Jack; Kate was still not impressed with the fact that Violet was sitting in Juliet's tent with handcuffs on.

"Look, I eventually figured out there was more to her wanting that medicine than I thought. I saw her packing her knapsack with water and food, so I followed her. She should have been resting, and I was concerned." She shot Kate a glance, who didn't seem to buy it for a second. "I saw her going through Sayid's tent, and she grabbed a map, the same map you used, Kate, to find Jack at the barracks. That's when I figured it out; Violet was trying to go to Locke's camp."

"Why would she want to go there?" Jack asked, shaking his head. Juliet raised her eyebrow.

"I don't know, Jack, she's not thinking straight right now. She's upset, and confused, and very angry. You'll have to ask her." Juliet left out the part about the expression on Violet's face when Juliet mentioned Kate. Kate didn't need to hear that, not right now. "Anyway, I wasn't about to just let her run off into the jungle with a fresh gunshot wound, I could tell she was still weak, but she didn't care, she was heading off, so I followed her, and I confronted her. Jack, you should have heard her. She told me straight out she didn't care if she died, she's really not doing well right now, and she was going to go, she wouldn't listen to me, so I did what I did because I had to stop her, anyway I could." She glared at Kate. "So burn me at the stake if you want, I don't care, but you tell me what other choice I had."

Kate couldn't deny what Juliet was saying, because she was right. Violet was the most stubborn person Kate had ever met, and Juliet was right, if Violet was set on leaving, she wouldn't be swayed. Kate refused to admit it, but she probably would have done the same thing.

"I'll try and talk to her." Jack said, taking off his backpack and looking toward Juliet's tent, where Violet was tiring of yanking on her handcuff. "I doubt she'll listen to me anymore than you two, but I'll give it a shot."

* * *

Violet had already decided to stop yanking on the handcuff around her wrist, there was already a bruise forming, and fresh blood oozing, and it stung, not like it was anything compared to the agony she felt in her stomach. Still, she felt so _angry_ at everyone! How dare they treat her like a child, chaining her up like some kind of animal? Who did Juliet think she was anyway? Just because Jack and Kate had gone to the caves, suddenly _Juliet_ became the camp's first-in-command?

Frustrated, Violet began kicking at a stone and startled Vincent. Sighing, Violet patted the dog's head and noticed a shadow hovering over her. She forced herself to look up and saw Jack entering Juliet's tent, kneeling down in front of her, holding a bottle of pills and some gauze and disinfectant.

"Hey Violet." He waited for a response, but Violet just looked away, so he went on. "I thought I'd stop by and give you some pills for the pain. I should also change the bandage." He didn't wait for a reply, he simply unscrewed the bottle of pills and gave her one, handing her a bottle of water.

Violet never looked up, she simply took the pills, only complying because the pain was so bad, and clung to Vincent's leash while Jack gently lifted her shirt and pulled away the old bandage, causing Violet to wince. She bit her lip while he poured on new disinfectant and began redressing the wound.

"Juliet told me you tried to go to Locke's camp." Jack said simply, his attention focused on his task. Violet rolled her eyes and heaved a sigh.

"She just can't keep her mouth shut today, can she?" She said, more to herself. Jack looked up and met Violet's gaze. She quickly looked away.

"Violet, why did you want to go to Locke's camp?" He asked. Violet shook her head, no, she didn't want to answer him, the _last_ thing she wanted to do was talk to anybody, _especially_ Jack.

"Look, I know you don't want to leave this island, and I know you're mad at Kate right now, but these people, the freighter, they're our best chance at safety. This island is dangerous. _Locke_ is dangerous. Everything I have done since we've been here has been in the interest of everyone here." He paused and looked at Violet again. "Don't you trust me, Vi?"

Violet looked up and narrowed her eyebrows as she stared at Jack. Anger was welling up inside of her, and keeping her mouth shut wasn't working anymore. She felt explosions inside of her.

"I'm not so sure right now." She said through clenched teeth, containing her anger enough so she wouldn't start screaming.

Jack seemed surprised, genuinely surprised and Violet looked away again as Jack finished bandaging the gunshot wound. He didn't leave though.

"Why not?" He asked simply.

"Oh, I don't know Jack, maybe it's got something to do with the fact that Kate, Sayid and I were all held captive by the Others, because we came to get _you_. But you were going to leave on that submarine! You were ready to just leave us behind, leave us in the hands of the Others, so I don't buy this crap about everything you do being for the interest of everyone here!" She snapped, her eyes finally meeting his and never faltering. She needed him to hear this, she needed to _say _this.

"Violet, I didn't agree to leave until I got Ben to promise that you three wouldn't be hurt." Jack said, trying to explain. Violet shook her head.

"And you trusted him? _Ben Linus!_ Maybe you forgot what he did to me, well _I_ haven't!" She forced back tears. "Just face it, Jack! You were more concerned about going home than you were about our safety!" She was yelling now, and she didn't care. She had just been shot, unconscious for hours, stopped from doing what it was she wanted, and handcuffed like an animal. No, the last thing she cared about was being civil.

Jack stared at Violet for a moment, short on words to deliver that would help her understand. Instead, he just breathed out and remained calm.

"Look, Violet, I understand you're angry right now. There's a lot going on inside of you, and I get that, maybe not completely, but I can see that you're confused, and I don't really blame you, especially with rescue being this close, but hey," he made her look at him. "Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem."

Violet shook her head.

"I never said to anyone that I was going to kill myself." She said silently.

"Maybe not, but we can't deny that you've tried before, and Juliet heard you by the ocean the other night, and she told me what you said when she caught you trying to leave."

"Well, she's _wrong!"_ Violet grew defensive, maybe in part because he was right, and it bothered her that he, of all people, could get inside her head.

Jack was silent, seeing he wasn't getting through to her, so he left the bottle of water with her, and left Juliet's tent, Violet still handcuffed, and deep in thought.

* * *

The sun was setting and it had been a few hours since Juliet handcuffed Violet in her tent. Jack had brought her some fruit an hour earlier and told Juliet she seemed a lot calmer, but he was leaving the decision up to Juliet as to when she thought Violet was ready to be freed. Kate was less than thrilled about it, but Jack chalked it up to the fact that Juliet was a doctor, and probably knew more about kids than he did.

Juliet walked past her tent as the sun began to set, and saw that Violet was nodding off, Vincent fast asleep by her side. The girl's wrist was raw red and Juliet decided it was time to let her go. She'd had a few hours to think and calm down, and she seemed more relaxed now. True, she would still need someone to keep an eye on her, but the handcuffs could probably go.

Juliet entered her tent as Violet began to stir and knelt down beside her, waiting for her to wake up so she could talk to her.

Violet's eyes met Juliet's as she sat up and promptly looked away. There was no sign of anger, just exhaustion and contemplation. Juliet offered a small smile.

"Are you going to try and take off to Locke's camp again?" She asked, pulling out the key to the handcuffs. Violet sighed, but shook her head.

"I'm not going anywhere." She said quietly, still looking away. Satisfied that Violet had calmed down, she reached for Violet's wrist and unlocked the cuffs. Juliet waited, expecting Violet to get up and leave right away. No doubt, the _last_ person Violet wanted for company right was the woman who locked her up. But, to Juliet's surprise, Violet didn't move once her wrist was free. Juliet took it as an opportunity.

"Do you want some aloe for your wrist?" Juliet asked, pointing to the bloodied ring around Violet's wrist. Violet didn't respond, but Juliet decided it would be best anyway, so she reached into her supply and began gently rubbing on aloe around Violet's wrist. Violet didn't move, her eyes were fixed on Vincent's head. Juliet let the silence continue, if Violet had something to say, she would say it eventually.

"I have a question for you." Violet said suddenly, in almost a whisper. Juliet looked up and offered a nod.

"Go ahead." She said simply. Violet was silent again for a moment before she spoke again. Juliet could see her mind was reeling, and Juliet figured out what Violet was going to ask before she even did.

"How did my father die? How...how did he kill himself?" Violet asked, never looking up. Juliet breathed out, the girl was stubborn, that was for sure. She was going to continue asking until she got the answer, but Juliet knew better than to offer that information, _especially_ now.

"I'm sorry, Violet, but you know I can't tell you that." She said simply.

"No, you _can, _you just _won't!"_ Violet replied.

"That may be true, but I'm not telling you. Violet, I'm worried about you right now." She paused. "Why, Violet? Why do you want to die so much?"

Violet turned and looked at her, and Juliet could see tears in her eyes, even with the sun's disappearance, she could still see the pain in her eyes. She waited as Violet stood, taking a hold of Vincent's leash. With one final look behind her, Violet spoke again.

"You said you knew everything about me." She sniffed and looked toward the ocean. "If that's really true, then you should already know the answer to that."

Tugging gently on Vincent's leash, Violet left the tent, leaving Juliet to watch after her, left to her own thoughts and concerns.


	28. Ji Yeon

**A/N: **I'm terribly sorry for how long it's taken me to update this. I'm currently working on a novel that's nearing completion, so that's occupied my time. Either way, I have not forgotten this story, and plan to continue it to its end, and continue on with Violet's journey throughout seasons 5 and 6. It will take time, but thanks for reading :)

**Chapter Twenty Eight: Ji Yeon**

_July 2005...part 3_

_Violet checked her boarding pass, to ensure she had the times right. Yes, American Airlines flight 483, leaving at 12:45p.m. It was departing from Gate 43._

_She had already gone through security, not that it took very long. The gold status they received from Oceanic had given them free flights from anywhere in the world, any airline. In short, the seven survivors were famous. Lines were hardly an issue at airports._

_Not like Violet ever flew - in fact, she hadn't gotten on a plane since Oceanic 815, which was still on that island. No, this would be the first time, but lucky, she would have Hurley with her._

_She checked her watch, it was noon now, they would be boarding soon, and she still didn't see any sign of Hurley. She hoped he came - the last thing she wanted to do was go home and hear an earful from Kate. Although, Kate wouldn't know yet. As far as she knew, Violet was still at school. Although, it wouldn't take the school long to realize Violet wasn't in her afternoon classes and would call Kate, but by then, she would be in the air._

_She hated lying to Kate, she really did, but Kate was being irrational. Why shouldn't they go to Seoul to see Sun? It wasn't fair, after everything they'd all been through together, why didn't they see each other more often? It wasn't as though anybody else understood._

_Finally, she saw him coming, he wasn't hard to miss. Hurley, with a little rolling carry-on came down toward the gate. Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, she ran at him with a smile that brought laughter to his lips. _

_He scooped her up into his big arms and spun her around as he hugged her tight. Violet __laughed as she clung to him, ignoring the looks she was getting from passer-bys. Yes, they would know who he was, just as they knew who she was._

_Finally, Hurley put her down and they found a seat together._

_"Good to see you, dude." Hurley smiled. Violet smiled back._

_"You too, Hurley."_

_"Glad you could make it, Sun'll be so stoked, but uh, where's Kate?" _

_Violet froze. She forgot about that. Hurley expected the three of them, Kate, Violet and Aaron, but only Violet came. She cleared her throat._

_"Uh, yeah, Kate couldn't come." She said, knowing it wasn't completely the truth. She _could_ come, she was just being stupid._

_Hurley raised an eyebrow._

_"Does Kate know you're here?" He asked, knowing the answer full well before she even said anything. In fact, she didn't say anything at all and her silence was admission enough. _

_Hurley didn't chastize her or anything, he was never like that. He only laughed a little._

_"Dude, you never listened to her, even on the..." he looked around. "Even before." Violet smiled a little. Yes, she had always been stubborn, even on the island. She shook her head, looking at Hurley._

_"I don't listen to anybody." She stated with a bit of a smirk. Hurley simply rolled his eyes, knowing better than to argue with her, and, when the boarding call came on, they got on the plane, Violet turning her cell phone off, knowing full well it would ring within the hour. Yes, she would land in Korea with angry messages from Kate in her voicemail. _

_

* * *

_

Violet sat by the ocean that evening, watching the waves caress the shore, as the moon rose up in the sky. It was chilly, but she had a sweater. Vincent sat obediently beside her, allowing her to scratch behind his ears. She thought about the day, about trying to run off with a bullet wound, about Juliet catching her and locking her up. Yes, she was still angry, but too tired now to care. Her stomach was throbbing, her back even hurt. The pain medication wasn't working that great, but it didn't matter, nothing mattered.

She watched the waves as though in a trance and didn't even notice when footsteps approached. Kate carefully sat down beside her, hesitant and cautious. The girl had been mad at her all day, since she first woke up. Kate had to be careful how she handled this now. But all the same, she couldn't let it go on either. She cared about Violet too much, and after what had happened today, she couldn't handle the silence anymore.

Clearing her throat, Kate decided to start small.

"You really should try and get some sleep, you know." She tried. "Jack says you're going to need all the rest you can get if you want to get better. You know how he is, but he's right. I guess you need all the strength you can get so your body will fight off infection."

Violet was silent for a moment, not moving, but she wasn't yelling, that was a start.

After a few moment's of silence, Violet spoke up.

"Why'd you leave me, Kate?" She asked in the quietest voice. Kate craned her head to look at Violet, who was still watching the waves with ferocity. "After everything you promised me about staying with me, about making sure I wouldn't be taken by some kind of social services if we got rescued, why'd you leave? Did those promises mean anything to you?"

She wasn't yelling, but she was mad, and Kate could see it. She owed her an explanation, she knew that from the moment she returned. Not knowing how Violet was going to receive any of it didn't matter - she didn't deserve the choice of copping out.

"I never planned to stay with Locke. When I left with Sayid and Miles that day, I didn't have any intentions of staying with them." She explained truthfully. She knew that much was true, it wasn't until they began to learn more about Miles and the people on that freighter that she became sure she needed to stay.

Apparently, that explanation wasn't good enough for Violet. Tears glistening in her eyes, Violet turned and stared at Kate.

"But you did stay, and you didn't even tell Sayid why, not even so he could tell me. Do you have _any_ idea what it was like for me? To find out you decided to stay with Locke, but not have any reason why? Do you have any idea how angry I was? How angry I _am?_" Violet was yelling now, and tears were staining her cheeks. Kate swallowed, looking at the sand.

"I had to stay." She said quietly.

"Why? _Why?_ At least have the decency to tell me-"

"I did it for you!" Kate yelled, unable to take it anymore, unable to take Violet's anger or blame. She had to come clean, whether Violet believed her or not.

Violet was silent for a moment, as she took in what Kate said. Then she shook her head.

"No, you didn't. You did it for _you._" She claimed. Kate only shook her head.

"You have no idea what you're even saying." She replied with a hint of anger in her voice. Yes, it hurt that Violet was seeing her in a negative way, in a selfish way, because none of what Kate had done was selfish, not when it came to this. Violet had to know that. "I stayed because I needed to know if the people on that boat knew about me, about what I did, about what I'm _wanted_ for. I had to know what we were getting into! Violet, if the people on that boat knew what I did, and who I was, then my identity would never be a secret if we got rescued!" Kate took a breath, feeling emotions trying to leak out of her, tears threatening her eyes, but instead, she took a breath and looked at Violet with serious eyes.

"I needed to know, because I could never keep my promise to you if the first thing that happened to me after being rescued was to be carted off to jail. I needed to know, because I'd never be able to protect you from social services and everyone else if I was arrested." Kate said it all with a calm demeanor, no more energy to feel upset or angry, and filled with anxiety about that awful truth. If they were rescued, what would she do? Miles knew about her, which meant everyone else on that freighter did as well. The thought of what she would do about Violet plagued her day and night since she found that out.

Violet didn't react with any words, she simply stared at Kate with her face streaked with tears, unable to know what to say, or how to say it. Kate, lacking any more energy, felt too drained with her own emotions about the matter to stay, and so she stood and walked away, leaving Violet to her thoughts.

Violet watched her leave, stunned by what she had said. It was true, Kate had sacrificed Violet's trust in order to protect her. She hadn't taken off because she no longer cared, it was the exact opposite.

Guilt stung Violet fiercely, as she looked back out to the ocean. She'd said such horrible things to Kate, and this whole time, the only thing Kate had been guilty of was caring about Violet.

* * *

_July 2005...part 4_

_Sun walked around her apartment, cleaning up a few things as she went, hearing the gentle sounds coming from her infant daughter's bedroom. Such a quiet little girl, so much like Jin..._

_She was interrupted from her thoughts by the sound of her doorbell. Gathering herself, she went to the door and opened it._

_Violet stared up at Sun with joy in her eyes as she was seeing her for the first time since they had arrived back from the island._

_"Violet! Hurley!" Sun exclaimed in surprise as she gathered Violet in her arms and squeezed her tight._

_"Sun, it's so good to see you." Violet exclaimed, feeling tears stinging her eyes. How good it felt to be close to those who had shared the same experiences as she had. Yeah, Kate had too, but she went on with life as though they had never crashed on that island, as though Aaron weren't born in the thick of the forest with no doctor, as though they hadn't survived polar bears, smoke monsters and the Others. Being with Sun and Hurley made her feel like things were real, like she weren't just living in some alternate universe._

_"I can't believe you actually came!" Sun exclaimed, leading Violet and Hurley into her apartment. Violet and Hurley smiled and Violet immediately forgot about the jet lag she was feeling. Just being here made everything right._

_After a pause, Sun asked the dreaded question._

_"Violet, where's Kate?" _

_Violet bit her lip._

_"She's back in LA, you know, with Aaron." She replied nonchalently. Sun offered a small smile and looked at Violet with probing eyes._

_"Does she know you're here?" She asked. Violet looked up and looked away, returning the smile, but only just._

_"What do you think?" She asked quietly. Sun breathed out, but didn't press. Violet was thankful. Yes, Kate would be mad, but there was no doubt she knew where Violet was. Besides, all she would have to do was call the airport and know Violet was on a plane to Seoul. Either Kate would fly out to Korea to find Violet or she would wait until Violet returned to scream at her. Violet didn't look forward to either situation, but right now, she tried to focus on Sun._

_"So anyway, can we see the baby?" Hurley asked suddenly, and Violet nodded wholeheartedly, and Sun, with a smile, agreed and led them to the nursery._

_And there she was, the infant girl dressed in a little pink dress lying awake in her crib, and Violet felt her heart leap into her throat. Here she was, the miracle that almost wasn't. Violet still remembered the day she followed Juliet and Sun out to the Staff station in the depths of the jungle to find out if Sun got pregnant on or off the island. After determining the baby was conceived on the island, it wasn't long before they knew that Sun only had three months to live, and that the baby would never have been born._

_As hateful as Violet had been about leaving the island, as desperate as she was to want to stay there, she couldn't help but understand the consequences of that. If they had stayed, there would be no baby, and there would be no Sun._

_"What's her name?" Violet asked, peering over the crib at the little squirming baby. Sun smiled._

_"Ji Yeon," she paused. "Jin picked it."_

_Violet swallowed, feeling the tension in the air, but was thankful when Sun broke it._

_"Would you like to hold her, Violet?" She asked. Violet smiled and nodded. As Sun scooped up the little girl in her arms and slid her carefully into Violet's, Violet looked into the baby's face up close and was reminded of him immediately. Hurley caught it too._

_"Wow," he said. "She looks just like Jin."_

_Violet bit her lip and distracted herself by letting Ji Yeon grip at her finger._

_"Yes, she does." Sun said quietly. Violet swallowed, rocking the baby as she cooed. There was still so much pain left over from that day they left, and she wondered if any of them would ever be alright._

_"So, should we, like, go see him?" Hurley asked. Sun nodded, and took Ji Yeon back. Violet felt her body tensing up. She knew where they were going, and it was the part of the trip she had looked forward to the least, but she also knew it had to be done, for Sun's sake._

_And she didn't want Sun to go through it alone._

_

* * *

_

_The Korean graveyard looked just like any American or Australian graveyard Violet had ever seen, and she couldn't help but feel as though death was the same in every culture. It didn't matter what ethnicity you were, you all ended up dead anyway. She shuddered at the thought._

_Sun held Jin Yeon in a small yellow blanket and led the way, while Violet and Hurley followed behind. Violet already felt the tears stinging her eyes as they approached a grave with unfamiliar writing on it, but as Sun knelt in front of it, Violet could make out the English, and there was his name, as if confirming what Violet had known all along, confirming what she had seen._

_Jin-Soo Kwon._

_Sun took a moment as she knelt in front of her husband's grave, sobbing silently. Violet felt the tears falling down her own face as vivid memories of that day they watched him die played over and over in her head. She couldn't help but wonder if those same haunting memories were running through Sun's head, and even Hurley's. They had all been there, and Violet could still hear the heartbreaking shrieks that was Sun..._

_Sun was talking to the gravestone in Korean now, holding up the baby and crying. Violet cried, knowing Jin would never get to meet his little girl, would never get to hold her, would never hear the compliments that she looked just like him. Sun was all alone in this world, alone with a daughter, and it hurt Violet to know that tomorrow, she would be getting on a plane and going back to LA, while Sun had to learn to live life alone on the other side of the world._

_When Sun was silent for some time, Violet, wiping her tears away on her sleeve, stepped forward, and hesitantly knelt beside Sun, who was still sobbing. Placing a gentle hand on Sun's shoulders, she received the woman in a hug, and Sun cried and cried. Biting her lip to stay strong, Violet felt angry in that moment. It wasn't right, all of it. It wasn't right how they had to live this lie, pretend like Jin died the day the plane crashed, pretend that they _all_ died, when in reality, most of them were still alive on that island, but nobody could say anything or they would all be in trouble. It wasn't right, because the man who they were protecting everyone from was the one responsible for Jin's death, responsible for everything that had gone wrong._

_No, it wasn't right, none of it._


	29. A Look Into the Past

**Chapter Twenty Nine: A Look Into the Past**

A day had passed since Kate told Violet why she left her, why she hadn't returned that day with Sayid. Violet, no matter how much she still wanted to be mad at Kate, couldn't be. Kate's whole reason for leaving her was to make sure she'd never _have_ to leave her. How could Violet be mad at her for that?

Things were slowly seeming to go back to normal. Violet helped Kate get firewood, fill water bottles, albeit in moderation. Kate was such a stickler for Violet's health, and she was still recovering from a gunshot wound, after all, so most of her time was spent inside the tent, not moving, which irked Violet to high heaven. But she respected Kate's wisdom, after all, Violet kind of felt like she owed her for being so mad at her. She'd have to be humble for a couple of days.

It was nearing mid-afternoon and Violet was taking Vincent for a small walk up and down the beach. She had promised Kate she wouldn't be long, otherwise she might 'exert' herself. It was annoying, all this babying. Didn't Violet know her own body better than anyone else? Shouldn't she be able to decide for herself?

As she was walking, she saw Daniel Faraday sitting by the ocean, watching its waves mysteriously. Violet puckered her brow. It was pretty odd to see him by himself, usually he was with Charlotte, the redhead who was responsible for her being shot. Granted, it's not like she held up the gun and fired intentionally, but still, Violet didn't trust her.

Daniel, on the other hand, he was different. He seemed unsure of his alliances, and it was kind of weird. Violet still didn't even really know whether these people were good or bad, but it seemed as though Daniel didn't know either.

She passed him once, and then again, and then again until he turned and noticed her presence. He offered an awkward kind of smile.

"Oh, uh, hi. Violet right? Yes, how...how is the, uh, you know," he motioned to his stomach.

"Oh, you mean the gaping hole in my stomach?" Violet asked with a sarcastic roll of her eyes. "It's fine, or at least, _I_ say its fine. Others have differing opinions."

Daniel laughed awkwardly and went back to looking out at the ocean. Sighing, Violet pulled Vincent close and sat beside Daniel, making sure to leave a safe enough distance. She still didn't trust him, she didn't trust any of them. She still had issues trusting some of the people in her camp, why should she trust outsiders now?

"So, like, what's your story, Daniel?" Violet asked after a few moments silence. "You know, like how did you end up on that boat?"

"Well, see, that's an interesting story, I mean, I certainly didn't intend to be on that boat, but they were looking for a physicist. Why they chose me, I don't know, it was quite random, but they're paying me good money." He looked at her sideways, noticing a familiar look in her eye. "Ah, and before you ask, I really don't know what their purpose is. I just go along for the ride and do the research I've been told to do." Violet nodded, smiling a little. He was fun to talk to, entertaining at the least, and she genuinely thought he was too flighty to understand what was going on, unless it was really just an act. But remembering the look of pure fear in his eyes when he was typing away furiously at the computer in the Tempest, Violet doubted his complete involvement with the freighter from the start.

"How long were on the boat for?" Violet asked, genuinely curious. Daniel turned and looked at her, and then around, as though searching for Charlotte.

"I, uh, I gotta ask. Did someone send you to ask me these questions, because, ah, I think Charlotte would be better at-"

"No! Nobody sent me, I just...I don't know, I'm just making conversation." Violet admitted. Daniel offered a smile and then a nod.

"Well, what about you, then? What's your story? How did you end up on, you know, the plane that crashed?" He asked.

Violet's stomach sank as she remembered that day, the last day she'd seen her sister alive. She felt tears glistening in her eyes. She couldn't believe it had really only been three months since her sister had died. The realization of this made her sick. Christmas would have been two days ago, and if they'd never crashed on the island, she would have been celebrating the holiday with Katie, and possibly her father, presuming he wouldn't have killed himself. Instead, she spent her Christmas trekking through the jungle after Juliet, stubbornly following her into the Tempest and getting shot and nearly killed. Some Christmas, but even that was better than dealing with the memories of Katie and her mother at Christmastime.

Clearing her throat, she went back to answering Daniel.

"I, uh, I was on the plane with my big sister. Her name's...well, it was Katie. We were going to L.A. to meet my father. He left when I wasn't even born. He wanted to meet me, but, well the plane crashed." She swallowed. "My sister died, in the crash, I mean."

Daniel puckered his brow and shook his head suddenly.

"I'm sorry, I mean, about your sister, but something struck me as, well anyway, your last name, it's Deville, isn't it?" Daniel asked, obviously scattered about something. Violet turned and looked at him.

"Yeah, why?" She figured he must have known because of Frank, the pilot, who had all the names off the manifest memorized. Ignoring her question, he went on.

"Just out of curiousity, where did you grow up?" He asked. Violet puckered her brow.

"Did someone send _you_ to ask me these questions?" She asked. Daniel smiled and shook his head.

"No, I'm just making conversation."

Violet hesitated and then told him.

"Most of what I remember is from Sydney, Katie and I moved there when I was 8, after my...after my mother died. Before that, we lived in the States, in LA."

"Your sister, she would have been, what, 30?"

Violet tilted her head.

"Yeah, but how did you know that?"

Daniel smiled, as though lost in a distant memory.

"Katie Deville," he looked at Violet with a smile. "I went to high school with your sister."

Violet's stomach turned there, as she looked up at Dan with growing curiousity, and a shocked expression. Had she heard him right? Could it be true? Could this stranger, someone she had never met before, known her sister, the only other person in the world who had ever understood Violet? Could Daniel be, here on this island, the only living connection to her sister? VIolet swallowed, unsure what to say, how to respond. She couldn't ignore the tears rising up inside of her, as she tried to comprehend what Daniel had said.

"W-what?" She asked, not sure what else to say. Daniel smiled, staring out at the ocean.

"Yeah, man that was so long ago, at least it feels like it was." He paused. "I remember her showing off pictures to her friends in 11th grade when you came along. I remember now, yeah, I overheard a lot of her conversations, I wasn't exactly part of her group."

"She...she talked about me?" Violet asked, biting her lip. Dan smiled.

"Oh yeah. Man, most kids thought it was weird for her to have a baby sister at her age, but not Katie. Her locker was filled with baby pictures of you, and a magnet with your name on it, 'Violet.' Most people got tired of hearing about you, but I didn't." He swallowed. "That was the same year her dad left. I only knew because I found her crying on the football field one day. That's how I met her, and it was the only time we'd ever talked, really. She told me about her, uh, your dad leaving with a new baby. I think that's why she talked about you so much. It was obvious she loved you, and I think it really helped her through a hard time, having you. I thought it was...well, I thought it was cute, but I pretty much thought everything she did was cute. I, uh, yeah, I kind of had a thing for her."

Violet smiled.

"Really? Why?"

"She was the only one who was nice to me in high school. We never hung out, but after that day on the football field, she always smiled at me. I still remember her smile, it got me through some pretty hard days." Daniel recalled. Violet couldn't argue with that. It never mattered what Katie was going through, she was always putting others first, even when she was hurting. She had been the most selfless person Violet had ever known.

"Did you ever ask her out?" Violet couldn't help but asking. Daniel smiled then and shrugged.

"No, like I said, our crowds didn't mix." He coughed, embarrassed. "But, uh, I did ask her to prom."

"Really?" Violet had heard all about Katie's prom, but she was sure her date wasn't named Daniel. "What happened?"

"Troy McCook already asked her. He was a jock, captain of the basketball team, the envy of every guy in school, and she went with him." Daniel laughed. "Then we graduated that year and I never saw her again."

Violet smiled, trying to imagine a teenage Katie. By the time Violet was old enough to remember having a big sister, Katie was already finished high school. Violet's memories of Katie were always going away to college and getting a job. Violet hardly thought about Katie before Violet was born, but now that she thought about it, Katie had 16 years of life before Violet was even born. She'd grown up with two parents as an only child, and then at 16, her father ditched her and a baby was born. Violet couldn't imagine what that must have been like for Katie, so many changes, and yet, Daniel said, she still smiled.

Violet swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. All she could feel was regret, regret of never caring enough to ask Katie to tell her about her life. Katie's life was always lived for Violet, and Violet felt nothing but selfish, as she remembered her sister, a woman who had selflessly sacrificed everything for her little sister. At only 24, her sister had taken custody of the orphaned Violet, raised her, took care of her.

Violet would never remember her sister the same again.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set, and a dusk light settled over the camp. She had tied Vincent to a nearby tree to let him sleep while she walked slowly down the beach. She was supposed to be resting, she knew that, and any minute now, Kate or Juliet or Jack would find her and force her to go to bed. They thought they knew what was best for her, and maybe they did, but she had things to think through.

She couldn't help but think of Katie, who'd grown up with a father. Violet tried to imagine the man who's name was Matthew, she tried to imagine him as a father. All she'd ever had was a photo of him Katie had shown her only days before they'd gotten on the plane to LA to meet him. Now Katie was dead, and so was her father. All she had to go on was her own created fantasies.

She tried to imagine he was a good father, why else would he have stuck around for 16 years before leaving for another woman? She tried to imagine Katie as a small child, with her tangled brown hair, running after her father in the backyard, chasing him while they laughed, her beautiful mother watching from the front porch. She tried to imagine her father cuddling Katie close while reading her a story. Violet had her own memories of her mother cuddling her close, and she thought she could almost smell her pomegranate shampoo.

Had her mother loved her father? Had they had a fairy tale wedding? Violet had never known the answers to those questions, the topic of her father had always been a sensitive one, but she couldn't help but wonder now. Who was this man who had loved his daughters so much, he took his own life because he couldn't stand the regret of those lost years?

Violet sighed, and leaned up against a tree, looking toward the jungle.

She froze, and felt her heart stop.

It couldn't be...

There standing at the tree line of the jungle was a man who's face was familiar, if only from a picture, but she knew who it was, and it was impossible.

But was it?

Her father.

She swallowed for a minute, staring wide-eyed at the figure, blinking a few times, not believing it was true, but he was still there. Violet couldn't believe what she was seeing, this couldn't be true, this couldn't be happening.

And as though in slow motion, her father turned around and headed into the jungle.

No, if he was here, she had to see him.

But how could he be here? Be realistic, Violet, he's dead.

But what if Juliet only told her that for an unknown reason? What if, truly, her father had been alive the whole time, and found her on this island?

"Dad?" Violet yelled out, but he kept walking into the jungle.

Without a second though, Violet began to run toward the jungle. She ignored all the red flags running through her head, because they didn't matter. All that mattered to her right now was catching her father.

Though the man was walking, Violet found herself struggling to catch him. Deeper and deeper into the jungle he led her, and though she called for him, he kept walking away.

Branches scraped Violet's arms and face, and her stomach throbbed in pain, trying to catch him, and then, she tripped on a root, and collided hard with the ground, feeling the wind knocked right out of her.

She rolled onto her back and tried to catch her breath as she looked up through the leaves that blanketed the jungle. This was crazy. It couldn't be him, could it? He was dead; she'd seen his suicide note, and even if Juliet had been lying about it, how could he be here, on the same island she was? If he was truly here to rescue her, why had he run away?

"Violet?" A voice broke through the silence. "Is that you?"

Violet looked up to see Sun kneeling down next to her.

"What happened?" Sun asked, brushing away the hair in Violet's face. "Are you hurt?"

Violet sighed, struggling to sit up. Her stomach was burning.

"No, I'm fine." She lied, looking over Sun's shoulder in the direction she'd seen her father running. There was no sign of him. She breathed out. Great, she thought, I've gone completely mental.

"What are you doing out here?" Sun asked. "I thought Jack and Kate told you to stay on the beach." Violet sighed.

"Yeah I know, I just-" what, was chasing after a ghost? Yeah right, that wouldn't work. "I was just looking for something."

"I'm sure by now, Jack and Kate are looking for _you._" Sun offered her hand. "Will you come back with me?"

Violet hesitated. She wanted to run deeper in the jungle, find this man, and ask why he was here. Was he really a ghost, did she even believe in ghosts? Had he come back after he'd died to make his peace with her? Was he there to haunt her? Or was she just going crazy?

She didn't know, but she knew she shouldn't go off into the jungle, not like this. She was in pain now, and knew she wouldn't make it very far. Not to mention she didn't want anyone to worry, especially not Kate, not anymore.

Violet took Sun's hand and followed her back to the beach, clutching her stomach and trying to keep up with Sun, who told her to take her time. Violet was hardly listening, though. All she kept thinking about was her father.

They arrived back on the beach, and Sun, after offering Violet a smile, headed to her own tent, where Jin was waiting. Violet saw Juliet look up and see Violet emerging from the bushes, and Violet could see the look of disapproval on her face. She didn't care, the last thing she wanted was to talk to anybody, and she hoped this came across as she crossed the beach and took a seat in the sand, staring out at the ocean. She felt tears stinging her eyes, as sleep threatened to take her, and she couldn't help but wonder whether or not she'd just been crazy after all.

Moments passed, and Violet heard footsteps approaching. She quickly brushed away the tears staining her cheeks and looked beside her to see Jack joining her. Violet tried not to sigh. He was really the _last_ person she wanted to see right now. After everything they'd been through, she still couldn't look him in the eye. He would always be the man who was going to leave them in the hands of the Others.

"Hey Vi," Jack greeted. "Sun told me she found you in the jungle. Do you mind me asking what you were doing out there?"

"Nothing," Violet answered quickly.

"You know, you shouldn't be going too far at all. If you got too tired, or the pain was too much and you fainted, we need you close by so we can help you if that happens," Jack said.

"I wasn't gonna faint," Violet argued.

"Just be safe, okay?" Jack asked, shooting a smile toward Violet. Violet didn't look up, she still stared at the water. The image of her father, dressed in a suit and tie, staring at her from across the beach still lingered. He looked so real, even though she'd only ever seen a picture of him. Why would she see him? Why would her mind make things up like that? Or did they?

"You mind me asking what's wrong?" Jack asked after a few seconds. Violet breathed out, glaring at the ocean.

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you," Violet replied. Why she was even considering it was beyond her. Maybe she _wanted_ Jack to think she was crazy. Maybe if he believed that, he'd leave her alone.

"Try me," he offered. Violet sighed. Fine, she'd try, he'd label her a quack job and leave.

"I saw my father," she said simply. Jack puckered her brow.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "Before the crash?"

"No," Violet paused. "In the jungle. Before Sun came."

"I, uh, I thought you father was-"

"Dead. He is, or at least that's what Juliet says." Violet sighed. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea. "I'm just telling you what I saw."

Jack didn't respond for a while, and Violet peeked up at him to try and read his face, what he was feeling. He was staring at the ocean, and his face had that look on it when he was deep in thought, contemplating something. Violet couldn't help but feel curious.

"What?" she asked. Jack shook his head.

"I'm gonna tell you something I've only ever told one other person, Violet, and I want it stay between us."

Violet was interested now, so she nodded her head as a promise. Jack breathed out and hesitated before he went on.

"Two days after we crashed, I saw my dad in the jungle too." He swallowed. "He died in Sydney."

Violet stared at him for a moment, taking in what he had just said. If what he was saying was true, then maybe he had the answers. Maybe he knew why her father was in the jungle.

Violet swallowed.

"So...what does that mean?" she asked, brushing away some stray pieces of sand on her leg. Jack shook his head.

"To be honest, I think it was a mixture of things. I was probably hallucinating, I was pretty dehydrated and extremely over tired. It was right after the crash, I was helping a lot of people, the Marshall, and others. I was exhausted. My mind was probably playing tricks on me." Even as Jack said this, Violet got the impression that even he wasn't thoroughly convinced. Violet sighed. What was he saying? Did he think she was hallucinating? _Was_ she? After all, she'd just been shot, she was recovering from that, and she was tired and in a lot of pain. Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her too.

She sighed, and settled her head on her knees, and Jack took that as his cue to leave.

"Get some rest, Violet," he said simply and walked away, leaving Violet to ponder over whether or not she truly had seen her father, or if her mind had made it up. She couldn't help but wonder if Hurley had ever seen things like that, after all, he'd spent time in a mental institution.

Violet didn't know, but her father had looked so real, so real in fact, she could have reached out and touched him. Could her mind have created something so real out of nothing but a photograph and no memory?

She didn't know, but she did know that it rattled her, and she knew she wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.


	30. The Doctor

**Chapter Thirty: The Doctor**

The next few days went by without much sleep and without much action. Everyone seemed to be watching Violet's every move, like they knew she'd been shot, and they knew she tried running off to Locke's camp. It was like she was a flight risk or something. It wasn't even like she'd _told_ anyone her plan to run off, but then, it must have circulated through the camp by now. Juliet had handcuffed her to a piece of fuselage, after all, to keep her from running. That in itself would have generated discussion.

At least they were letting her walk around on her own now. Right after she'd been shot, they stuck to her like glue on wood, forcing her to rest, telling her to take it easy. Sure, they still were, especially Kate. Who would have thought Kate could get so paranoid? Either way, Violet listened to them, for the most part. After all, Jack and Juliet were doctors, weren't they? They knew what they were talking about.

Feeling tired one morning, Violet was taking Vincent for a short walk down the beach. It was pretty early, the sun had barely reached its peak in the sky but was emitting enough heat for a faint glow to shimmer on Violet's skin. Vincent was panting like mad.

This was what she missed the most about Walt, early morning walks with Vincent where they would leisurely stroll down the beach, skip rocks, race, throw sticks for Vincent, or just find a rock out in the water and sit there for hours, just watching the waves caress the shore, or talk about their mothers.

Violet used to feel the strongest connection with Walt. Once, when they were both held prisoner at the Others' compound, they told her Walt wasn't there, but she felt it deep inside. He was there, and she found him.

Now, she felt nothing, not to Walt. He was so far gone, she could hardly remember that first day when they joined hands and a surge of something passed through them like electricity, some kind of magic, Violet wasn't sure, but it was from then on she'd had those feelings, the connection with Walt.

Time and time again, she'd wondered if the severed connection meant he was dead, if maybe he never made it off the island. Kate said she saw him on a boat with his dad, but what if the boat crashed? What if he never made it to shore? Or maybe the connection just faded the further Walt went. Who knew where he was now?

Walt seemed like a thousand years ago, now. She felt no hope in ever seeing him again.

All she had left was Vincent, who was pulling her roughly along the beach.

"Slow down, Vincent," she cooed, struggling with the leash, but the dog wouldn't let up. He started barking as he tried to pull his way up the beach, like he was racing toward something. Violet tried to get him to stop, but that was when she heard the shouting.

"Hey, help!" The voice was shouting. "I need some help over here!"

It was coming from their camp.

Violet began to run with Vincent, who was headed straight for the commotion, no doubt his sixth sense was in full gear.

Violet heard the shouting getting louder, and she recognized the voice the closer she got.

Bernard.

When Violet arrived, there was a small crowd of people gathering by the water. Violet caught her breath as she tried to peer over someone's shoulder, but she was too short, as always. Somebody was crying, someone let out a small scream, and Jack showed up, always the leader, to assess the situation.

_What_ situation?

Impatiently, Violet elbowed her way through Jin and Rose, and immediately caught sight of why everyone was crowding.

There was a body washed up on the shore.

Violet swallowed, ignoring Vincent's sudden barking.

Jack immediately pulled the body out of the water, and turned him over.

Violet almost threw up.

It was a man, his face the color of chalk, seaweed intertwined around his neck and ears, a dried purple opening slit across his neck, dried blood dripping from it.

This man's neck had been sliced open.

Juliet turned then and noticed Violet's presence. Her wide eyes, and lack of color in her cheeks must have been enough for Juliet to know this was bad news. She took a few steps toward Violet, and strategically placed herself between Violet and the dead body.

"Violet, why don't you take Vincent for a walk?" Juliet suggested, patting Vincent affectionately on the head. "You don't need to see this right now."

If Violet had been paying attention, she would have noticed Kate watching the interaction from her place beside Jack, staring down Juliet like she was some kind of predator, ready to attack.

Violet was frozen to the spot, and Juliet, not willing to let Violet stay here, took her shoulders and turned her around, pushed her through the crowd.

But still, Violet heard him, heard Daniel's voice, even as she was turned away from the activity.

"I know him!" he cried, causing the crowd to gasp, and stare. "He was our doctor. On the freighter."

Violet shrugged off Juliet's pushy hands. She wasn't going anywhere, now. Why was their doctor in the water? Why was his throat cut?

Oh no! Sayid...Desmond...they were on that freighter.

Were they safe?

"What happened?" Sun asked then.

"Who killed him?" Rose added.

"Where are Desmond and Sayid?" Kate asked. All the questions Violet was dying to know the answers to, everyone was asking for her.

Daniel looked overwhelmed and scared all at once, while Charlotte maintained a calm demeanor, like she didn't care about any of this.

Daniel sputtered for an answer, but Juliet put up a mediating hand.

"If we could fix your satellite phone," she said loud enough to calm everyone down. "We could call the freighter and find out what happened, right?"

Daniel breathed out, seemingly happy it seemed like someone was on his side.

"Ah yes, well, theoretically, yes, except the mic is what's broken, so ah, if we could fix it, we could only broadcast tones," Daniel explained.

Violet knew that even if she _had_ been fully present, and paying attention, she wouldn't have had any idea what he was talking about. Frank had been right, Daniel was odd.

"That means we could send morse code!" Bernard exclaimed, and everyone seemed to agree, so it was set. Kate took Daniel to show him where the materials were so he could get started on fixing the phone.

Violet stood rooted to the spot, couldn't help but let her eyes linger to that man who had been alive not too long ago, the slit across his throat imprinted on the back of her eyelids, so even when she closed her eyes, she saw it. Not even Juliet could shield her from that.

* * *

Violet meandered while some people covered the doctor, headed up to the graveyard on the hill and started digging a hole. She watched numbly as they dragged his body over, dropped it in and buried him, not knowing his name, or how he died. It all felt surreal, watching the shovelfuls of earth heaped upon the dead man, and nobody had any answers.

Kate was keeping an eye on her, Violet could feel it, but she hadn't pressed her, not yet. She was helping Daniel with the sat phone. They needed answers, that was important. For all they knew, Sayid's life could be at risk, Desmond's too.

These people from the freighter were beginning to worry her more and more. Everything about them seemed...off. Now a dead man from _their_ boat washed up onto their shore. What was Violet supposed to think? Maybe Ben was right; maybe they really _had_ come to kill everyone on the island.

Truth be told, Violet didn't even care, because she would much rather be dead than leave this island, anyway.

Although, the island was much different than it had been before the freighter folk showed up, before she'd been taken by the Others. Even though those were the early days of her sister's death still lingering in her mind, things were much different on the island. Walt was around, the Others weren't a threat they were aware of, there was no threat of being killed by freighter people, and there were certainly no dead men washing up on their shore.

And the camp wasn't divided. Violet missed Hurley fiercely, missed Claire, wondered how she was doing, now that Charlie was...dead. She wondered how Aaron was, there was even a part of her that missed Sawyer.

With dead guys washing up on their shore, with Daniel and Charlotte sleeping only feet away from her tent, their presence alone being the reason she'd been shot, well, Violet was beginning to wish she really had gone with Locke. She wished she had been able to follow Kate to the Barracks that day, that the two of them had just stayed with Claire and Hurley and Sawyer. If they were hidden in the depths of the jungle, they wouldn't have to worry about the people on the freighter.

But Kate only really went there for one reason, and one reason only - to find out if they knew she was guilty, and it was all for Violet, all to make sure if they ever had to leave the island, she'd be able to keep Violet safe.

Guilt stabbed at her, as she thought about how she had been treating Kate. Sure, the last few days had been tolerable, as in, there hadn't been any more screaming from Violet, but as for reconciling, no, probably not, and Violet was to blame.

She tore her eyes away from the burial and went to find Kate. Sure enough, she was with Daniel, watching him closely as he tried to fix the phone. Charlotte watched on suspisciously as Violet tied Vincent up to a tree and approached Kate.

"Got a minute?" Violet asked, her voice sounding more exhausted than she wanted it to. Kate caught the importance of the matter, and excused herself, walking only out of earshot from the freighter folk, she still needed to know what they were doing.

"What's up?" Kate asked. "You okay?"

No doubt she was referring to the corpse, and how Violet was taking it. Well, not good, but that wasn't why she was here.

"Look, I've been thinking," Violet said, shuffling her feet awkwardly. "I'm...I'm sorry I've been so mad at you, you know, about you leaving. I...I just didn't know why you did it, 'til you told me. I guess I just thought you left me...for good."

Kate considered her for some time before she said anything, but when she did, she smiled.

"Vi, I promised you I wouldn't leave you, and I don't intend to. I really care about you."

"But what if we get off this island?" Violet asked, swallowing hard as the reality of it all hit her like a ton of bricks. "If they know you're a criminal, and we get off this island, what's going to happen? They'll...they'll arrest you, won't they?"

"I don't know, Violet." Kate sighed heavily, before putting her hands on Violet's shoulders, staring at her intensely. "But I can promise you that whatever is in my power, I will work my hardest at making sure I can keep you with me, wherever we end up."

Violet didn't know what that would mean, but she did know Kate was telling the truth. In the four months they'd been on this island, she'd never known Kate to lie to her, not about something important. If there was anyone she could trust on this island with her life, it was Kate, fugitive or not.

She let Kate embrace her then, and Violet clung hard, glad to let go of the anger, the animosity, the fear of Kate leaving her. It was nice to have someone to take care of her again.

* * *

Hours passed, the memory of the dead body fleeting slowly throughout the camp, but the lingering questions of how he'd been killed, and why were still circulating. Daniel was just finishing up with the repairs on the phone, and the camp was beginning to surround him as he put the finishing touches on it. Everyone was growing really anxious as the truth was getting closer and closer, Violet swore she could feel her heart beating in her throat. Kate was nearby, constantly checking to make sure Violet was okay, physically, yes, but also elsewise.

"Okay, okay, I got it, I can, ah, send morse code now to the freighter." Daniel's shaking hands went to to the makeshift transceiver he created to tap out a message in morse code. As he tapped, someone asked for a translation.

"What's he sayin'?"

Daniel nearly jumped out of his skin as he shared a quick glance with Charlotte and answered.

"I asked them what happened to the doctor," he replied nervously. Violet sighed, as Daniel put down the phone and they waited. The silence was agonizing, and Violet couldn't help but let her mind wander to the thousands of possibilities that plagued her. She imagined Sayid and Desmond meeting a similar fate to that doctor, she imagined their bodies washing up on shore tomorrow, or worse, they'd already washed up on some other beach. They might never know.

She shivered. Kate's arms instinctively twined around her.

Suddenly, that machine started beeping again.

It was morse code.

Daniel listened.

Everyone stopped breathing.

They could do nothing but wait until the message was finished being relayed. After all, Daniel would be the only one who could translate it.

Daniel was silent for a moment, and for only a second, Violet thought she saw fear in his eyes, but when he started talking, his message was not one of fear.

"Ah, okay, they didn't say anything about the doctor, but they assure me your friends are fine. The helicopter is coming back in the morning," Daniel explained.

A wave of relief was heard through the camp. Sighs, laughs of happiness in knowing Sayid and Desmond were okay, but it wasn't long-lasting.

Bernard spoke up.

"That's not what the message said."

Everyone turned and focused their attention on Bernard, who took a step forward.

"I know morse code, and that's not what the message said." He looked directly at Daniel, not intimidated in the least, although, not even a fly could be intimidated by Daniel Faraday. "The message said the doctor is still there."

Violet swallowed. Still there. But...he was buried in their graveyard. Why were they lying?

It seemed everyone had the same questions, as a quiet hum of the crowd became a loud drone of questions.

Jack stepped forward and got in Daniel's face, ignoring Charlotte's steps forward, ready to defend themselves if they needed to.

"Were you _ever_ going to take us off this island?" Jack asked in an angry voice. "Or was that all a lie too?"

Daniel was quiet, considering Jack, turning to Charlotte, but realizing the ball was in his court now. Even Charlotte couldn't lie her way out of this one.

So Daniel could do nothing, he was backed into a corner, so he shook his head, letting out a sigh.

"No," he admitted feebily. "We weren't."

Violet sighed, biting her lip. If they weren't here to take them off the island, (they'd just admitted to it), then why _were_ they here? For Benjamin Linus, yes, but then what? What if they actually found him, and got him on their boat? What would happen to the rest of them?

Still, Violet couldn't help that small feeling of relief she felt when she learned they weren't taking them off the island. It meant there would be no police to cart Kate off to jail, leaving Violet alone and in the hands of whatever social services Australia had to offer.

Everyone seemed to be in shock, handling it in whatever way they could. Really, what could they do?

But it was Jack who looked like all the color in his face had drained. He looked...sick.

He considered Daniel for a while, before turning to face everyone, that leader look in his eye.

"I don't care _what_ they came here for, or why they're here!" he called in a loud voice, to ensure everyone heard him. "But we're not giving up! I promised you we're getting off this island, and I will_ get_ you off this island!"

But Violet hardly heard him. She was still staring at Charlotte and Daniel, trying to puzzle it all out. Why had the people on the boat said the doctor was still there? What were they hiding? If Daniel lied about what the message actually said, did it mean Sayid and Desmond _weren't_ okay?

She could try puzzling it out until she was blue in the face, she wouldn't get it sorted out. She knew one thing was for certain. Things had definitely made a turn for the worse.


	31. Appendicitis

**Chapter Thirty One: Appendicitis**

Violet ran as fast as her feet could carry her. She knew she wasn't supposed to be running, Juliet and Jack would kill her, but it didn't matter right now.

Jack was in trouble.

"Juliet!" Violet screamed, running with all her might toward Juliet's tent. "Juliet!"

It was the next morning, and Violet, waking up early, sauntered over to Jack's tent to get the antibiotics and pain medication she was supposed to be taking for the gunshot wound.

That was when she realized something was wrong.

"Violet, what's wrong?" Juliet asked, ducking out of her tent, staring at Violet with wide eyes.

Violet stopped and took a breath.

"It's Jack," she said through heavy breaths. "He won't wake up."

Juliet's face dropped.

"What do you mean he won't wake up?" she asked as the two of them jogged toward Jack's tent.

"I went in to get my medicine this morning. He was sleeping so I tried to wake him up." Violet shook her head. "He won't wake up!"

They made it to Jack's tent and Juliet ducked inside, motioning for Violet to stay outside. She did, her heart racing. Maybe it wasn't anything serious. Maybe Jack was just overtired and was sleeping deeply.

Yeah.

That had to be it.

Violet tried keeping her hands from shaking so much.

"What's going on?" Kate asked from behind her. Violet whirled around, cringing at the pain her open wound on her stomach was causing.

She couldn't even frame a response.

But she didn't need to, because Juliet emerged from Jack's tent, and Jack was right behind her.

Violet heaved a breath of relief.

But something was wrong - Jack was as white as a sheet, and if a corpse could walk, that's what it would look like.

"Jack, what's wrong?" Kate asked, realizing what was going on. Violet caught Juliet's eye - she looked worried, and that was a bad sign. Juliet hardly worried about anything.

"I'm fine," Jack said, as usual. The man could be shot with a round of bullets, and his last words would be 'I'm fine.'

As if things weren't tense enough, shouting echoed throughout the camp.

No surprises; Charlotte and Daniel were at the center of the argument.

"Why did you lie about the doctor?" Rose asked in a booming voice, as the rest of the survivors crowded around, trapping the two outsiders in a circle of blame. Everyone was pointing fingers, yelling questions. Daniel looked terrified, but Charlotte, calm and collected as always, fielded the questions.

"Look, we don't know any more than you do."

"Save it, Red, if that were true, you would have been upfront with us about the message in morse code," Rose pointed out.

"I, uh, yes, well, I just didn't want to cause a panic," Daniel tried explaining.

"That's the least of your concerns, I don't think you've said a true word since you've been here!" Bernard exclaimed.

Everyone continued arguing, blaming the freighter folk for lying, for coming under false pretenses, and Jack stumbled toward them.

"Everyone just calm down," Jack said in a quiet voice.

Nobody was calming down.

"Jack, we need to know if these people are here to rescue us or not!" Bernard exclaimed.

"We _are_ going to be rescued!" Jack yelled, his face suddenly draining of all color, if that were possible. "I promised to get us off this island, and I'm gonna!"

Before anyone could say anything, respond to his promises, he buckled to his knees, and collapsed in the sand.

* * *

_September 2007...part 1_

_Jack turned over in bed, feeling the bright rays of sun beating through the window, touching his face, warming him to the core. It would be another hot day, he could feel it already. At least the hospital was air conditioned._

_He realized he was alone in bed. She must be up already. _

_The phone ringing brought him out of his heavy doze, and while he waited a couple of rings, hoping someone else would answer it, nobody did. He settled on reaching over and answering it himself._

_"Hi Jack."_

_It was his assistant._

_"I'm just calling to remind you of your schedule changes."_

_"Thanks Tracy, I remember, but I guess this is what we're paying you for."_

_"You got it, Jack."_

_Yawning, Jack rolled out of bed and threw on a clean T-shirt with his sweat pants._

_He wandered from the bedroom and headed down the hall toward the bathroom. He heard a disgruntled teen's voice coming from the bedroom to the right._

_"Dude, can you _please_ just cooperate with me and put your darn arm in the sleeve?"_

_Jack peeked his head in to find the 17-year-old fighting with a giggling blonde toddler, who thought it was the funniest thing in the world to avoid his T-shirt. Jack held back a laugh and continued toward the bathroom._

_The door was slightly ajar, but the shower was running._

_He went in anyway._

_Kate, just finishing her shower, peeked her head out and gave Jack a smile._

_"Good morning," she said._

_"Hey." Jack leaned in and gave her a kiss. Kate pursed her lips._

_"You need to shave." She pointed to the cabinet. "I bought you a razor."_

_"You bought me a razor?" Jack laughed. "Are you trying to tell me something?"_

_"Yeah." Kate grinned. "You need to shave."_

_Kate stepped out of the shower and Jack handed her a towel._

_"Thanks." Kate shared another kiss with him. "The kids up yet?"_

_Jack laughed._

_"Oh yes, and Violet is already annoyed with Aaron," he explained. "I think Aaron just likes to press her buttons."_

_"Well, he's almost three. I guess I should go rescue Violet before she throws him out a window."_

_"It's good for her."_

_"You're probably right." Kate went to the cupboard. "Please shave that beard, it's really itchy."_

_She reached into the cupboard, dug around for a while, puckered her brow._

_"Weird," she said after searching a second time. "I could have sworn I put that new razor in here."_

_Jack smiled._

_"Did you move it?" Kate asked._

_"No," Jack promised, spreading his hands out innocently. "Maybe you thought you bought one but got caught up with other things, and didn't actually buy one."_

_"No, I bought one, trust me." Kate sighed. "Well it's gotta be around here somewhere. I'll find it later."_

_Jack pulled her into an embrace._

_"I'll go start breakfast for the kids," he said._

_"And I'll go get Aaron." Kate sighed. "Violet's probably going to want her alone time."_

_"Yeah," Jack said. "That wouldn't surprise me."_

* * *

Violet was pacing. How could Kate stand still like that? They were both outside of Jack's tent, waiting for news. Juliet was inside, checking over Jack. Violet felt her stomach dropping to her knees every few minutes as she considered the possibilities. All the months they'd spent on this island, Jack had never been sick. He was their leader - what if something was seriously wrong? Sure, he'd made a lot of mistakes, ones she was far from thrilled with half the time, but still - they _needed_ him. And a strange feeling came over her - _she_ needed him.

Violet passed by the tent again, moving a little closer each time in hopes she'd catch snippets of the conversation happening inside. She'd never been patient - how could they expect her to stay outside and wait?

Kate was talking to Sun now, and Violet recognized Juliet's voice through the tarp of Jack's tent.

"Well, what do you think it is?" Juliet was asking.

"Could be food poisoning," Jack replied, his voice an echo of weakness. "We've been eating Dharma food that's been sitting in that hatch for ages. The heat may have made the food turn."

"Interesting," Juliet said in that condescending way. "I respectfully disagree."

Jack laughed, _actually_ laughed.

"Why don't you lift up your shirt, let me take a look?" Juliet asked.

Silence.

Violet imagined Jack was being stubborn. _What else is new?_

"Look, if it's food poisoning, you've got nothing to worry, but let me take a look. There are people outside waiting to hear you're okay," Juliet said.

_Please be okay, Jack._

Violet caught a look at Kate. She looked worried, like _really_ worried.

She heard a grunt from Jack and then a sigh from Juliet.

"It's your appendix." Juliet pointed out.

Violet's stomach clenched. Her sister was a nurse; she knew what this meant. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach as she leaned a little closer.

"Has it ruptured yet?" Juliet asked.

"N-no," Jack muttered. "Not yet."

So Jack had known all along it was his appendix. Damn him! What, was he just going to ignore it until the stupid organ ruptured and he died? _Geez Jack, I thought _I_ was stubborn!_

"Well," Juliet said as-a-matter-of-factly. "I'll guess we'll just have to take it out."

Violet paled.

Take it out...here? Now? On the island?

Juliet was a fertility doctor. How was she going to perform an invasive surgery on a grown man on an island that was far from sterile? She'd learned a few things from Katie, read them out of her sister's University textbooks.

Performing an appendectomy on a deserted island was dangerous, to say the least.

* * *

_September 2007...part 2_

_A light drizzle was showering the soccer field Saturday afternoon. Jack and Kate huddled together on one of the bleachers, watching the shortest player on the team, number 15, pass the ball to her teammates. They'd both come to see Violet during one of her first games of the school year. Kate was happy Violet finally found an outlet, something to do with her free time. Lord knew how worried Kate had been about the girl since they left the island. Violet was hardly the same girl. She'd become such a rock, so quiet and secretive. The girl barely smiled anymore. It broke Kate's heart, and wished Violet felt comfortable sharing with her, but the girl didn't. Kate could only hope she was talking to her therapist._

_Violet scored a goal and both Jack and Kate cheered loudly to show their support. Violet didn't look up. That was like her, so focused on the game. Nothing else mattered._

_The ball was back in play, and a girl from the other team was kicking it toward her goal, and Violet chased after her. The girl shimmied this way and that, and Violet managed to get the ball into her own zone, but her opponent moved her foot in to grab the ball, accidentally sending Violet tumbling._

_The whistle blew, and Violet jumped up quickly._

_With all the force she could muster, Violet pushed her opponent down hard._

_The whistle blew again, louder._

_Jack and Kate jumped up, watching as Violet sprang forward, her fists clenched. She would have started punching the girl if her coach hadn't sprinted onto the field and grabbed the angry girl._

_"I'd better get down there," Kate said._

_"I'll come with you."_

_The referee banned Violet from the rest of the game, and her coach had pulled her off to the sidelines._

_As Jack and Kate came toward the bench of Violet's teammates, they caught the tail-end of the coach reaming the girl._

_"Violet, we're hardly into the new season, and you've already been kicked out of _three_ games!" the coach yelled out, as Violet looked at the grass, arms crossed tight. "This violent behaviour has got to _stop!_ If it doesn't, Violet, I'll have to take drastic measures! I'll have to cut you from the team!"_

_"Cut me? Coach, you can't-"_

_"This is your warning, Deville! Next time you jump someone like that, you're off the team." The coach sighed, staring over her shoulder at Kate and Jack. "Go home, Violet. You're not playing anymore today."_

_Kate watched, as Violet angrily threw together her stuff, her friend Rose trying to speak to her. Violet wouldn't hear of it, though. She packed up her stuff with dagger eyes, and pushed past her teammates toward the bleachers._

_She stopped when she saw Kate and Jack staring at her. Kate didn't even know what to say; this was the first game she'd been able to come to, finally able to find a babysitter suitable for Aaron. She didn't know anything about violent behaviour._

_Violet glared up at her with an open defiance, and as Kate opened her mouth to speak, Violet shook her head._

_"Don't," she said through gritted teeth, and with that, she pushed past Jack and Kate, and ran as fast as her legs could carry her._

_"Violet!" Kate called after her, but Violet wouldn't hear any of it._


	32. Jack's Surgery

**Thirty Two: Jack's Surgery**

They were standing in a circle, Juliet talking a mile a minute as she gave Sun a list of medical supplies to pick up from the Staff station, the same place she'd gone with Sun and Juliet only days ago, it seemed. Sun was writing furiously, Jin watching over her shoulder while Juliet listed the medical supplies. Violet's heart was pounding - Jack was lying in his tent, resting, under Juliet's strict orders. He wasn't doing so well, Violet didn't need anyone to tell her that. The fact that Juliet was talking as fast as she was, ordering everyone around, Rose and Bernard to set up a sterile tent, Hurley to clean off a table with soap and water, yes, Jack wasn't doing well - this surgery had to happen, and _fast!_

"How fast do you think you can get back here?" Juliet asked after Sun finished the list.

Sun breathed out.

"A couple of hours at most. Jin will come with me." She paused. "Juliet, it may take longer, because I don't know what most of this stuff looks like."

"I would go with you, but I need to be here in case Jack gets worse," Juliet replied, rubbing her temples, all stressed-like.

"I'll go with them," Daniel spoke up, coming into their circle, Charlotte glued to his side. Violet gave her an even glare - she still didn't trust these people, in fact, _most_ people in this camp didn't anymore, but Violet would always see Charlotte as the one responsible for the gaping hole in her stomach.

Juliet glared at Daniel just as evenly.

"Look, I know what the medical equipment looks like, I can help. It'll go a lot faster, and we'll be back a lot quicker, and you can start the surgery a lot sooner," Daniel explained.

Well, nobody could argue with that logic, and though Juliet, their apparent make-shift leader while Jack was down and out looked far from impressed, Jack's surgery starting sooner was far more important right now.

"Be back as quick as you can," Juliet said to Sun, before handing Jin her gun. "Just in case." Both Daniel and Charlotte looked nervous, but went with Sun and Jin anyway.

"I wanna go," Violet spoke up, stopping Sun and the rest of them, all staring at her with concern in their eyes before looking to Juliet for direction. Violet caught it.

"Juliet doesn't get to make this decision, I-"

"Actually, yes I do, Violet. In case you've forgotten, you are recovering from a gunshot wound-"

"It's fine, I don't even-"

"You have to take it easy. Both practicing physicians on this island agree you need to be resting, not running off in the jungle."

"But Juliet, I-"

"I don't want to have to handcuff you in my tent again."

"I just wanna help!" Violet felt tears stinging her eyes, she hated being a kid sometimes, hated being told what to do and why.

Juliet glanced at her with sympathetic eyes and nodded Sun and her team off. They left without Violet, and Violet glared at Juliet, hoping the tears weren't visible.

"Sweetie, I know you want to help, but you can help me here." Juliet tried to smile. "I have to operate on Jack. The last thing I need is for that gunshot wound to start bleeding again because you were pushing yourself. Right now, Jack has to be the priority."

Violet wanted to argue, so fiercely, she wanted to argue, but Juliet was right. Jack needed Juliet's full attention. If Violet needed medical attention, both doctors would be busy. That wasn't fair.

Violet didn't say anything, but she didn't run off either. She just stood there while Kate, passing by Sun and the gang, approached the two of them with curiosity in her eyes.

"Juliet, if there's a medical station in the jungle, why can't we just bring Jack there, save some time?" Kate wanted to know.

"I wish we could, Kate, but Jack's in critical condition right now. If we try moving him, his appendix might rupture. If that happens," Juliet paused with a frustrated sigh. "If that happens, Jack will die."

Nobody said anything to that. Violet felt her stomach sink. This was worse than she thought.

"Will you help me create a sterile environment for the surgery?" Juliet asked, turning to Kate. "I need you to help Rose and Bernard set up the tent, and Violet, will you help Hurley wipe down the table?"

Violet obliged, running before Kate grabbed her and told her to walk. At least helping Hurley was helping in some way, because sitting around wasn't something she was ready to do anymore. She may have been mad at Jack not too long ago, but no matter her feelings toward him, she needed him around, no matter how much she didn't want to admit it. No, whatever she could do to help save his life, she would do, bullet wound or not.

* * *

_September 2007...part 3_

_It was a Thursday evening, a few nights after Violet's upset at the soccer game, and though Kate had tried until she was blue in the face to talk to Violet about it, Violet clammed up, less than eager to talk about it. Kate had taken away her internet privileges as punishment, but Violet hardly seemed to care. It didn't matter what punishments Kate tried doling out, Violet was acting out a little too much lately_.

_That Thursday evening, Jack and Kate were watching the news, drinking a glass of wine. Snuggling with Jack seemed to make the stress go away._

_Jack craned his neck and looked toward the stairs._

_"Shouldn't Vi have come down by now?" Jack asked suddenly. "I thought she tucked Aaron in a while ago."_

_Kate sighed._

_"You know Violet. She's becoming less and less social lately. You saw the way she was at that soccer game. The only thing she experiences these days is anger. She's always been stubborn, but I've never seen her as angry as she's been the last couple of months." Kate shook her head. "I mean, she's great with Aaron, she always _has_ been, no matter _what_ she's feeling, but not with anyone else. She keeps to herself, except the baby."_

_"What do you think the problem is?" Jack asked._

_Kate hesitated._

_"I've always wondered if it had anything to do with the island." Kate hated talking about that place. "She's never been very open about it, never brings it up, never talks about our time there. After we left, she never talked about it, or the people, not even when I brought it up. In fact, I never heard her mention it until she testified at my trial. Yes, she lied about what really happened, but it was the first time she ever spoke about it."_

_"You know why we have to lie, Kate. Maybe Violet doesn't talk about it, because she's afraid of blowing the lie."_

_"But she doesn't have to lie about it to me." Kate looked up. "I've tried everything to get her to open up, I've even put her in therapy, though I can guarantee she doesn't like it, but I don't know what else to do with her. I know she goes, I check in from time to time with her therapist, but Violet never tells me anything about what goes on there. And her therapist can't tell me anything, unless Violet's in danger of suicide. So I guess I should be counting my blessings that I _haven't_ heard from the therapist."_

_Jack turned the television volume down and they both listened to hear any sign of life upstairs. Nothing._

_"She probably just went to her room, decided to barricade after putting Aaron down." Kate pointed out. Jack stretched._

_"Well, why don't we go check on Aaron, see if he's sleeping, and while we're up there, we can see if Violet's around," he suggested. Kate nodded, unsure how Violet would react upon an 'invasion of privacy' as she liked to call it, depending on her mood. She was so up and down these days. You never knew whether you'd get her sweet side, or the side you wanted to avoid._

_Hand in hand, Jack and Kate went upstairs, tiptoed down the hall to Aaron's bedroom where they quietly opened the door and found nothing. No Aaron, no Violet. Curious, they headed down to the hall to Violet's bedroom, where she usually ended up reading to Aaron, because he was convinced he couldn't fall asleep until he was read a story by Violet in her 'big kid bed.' _

_Quietly opening the door to Violet's bedroom, they not only found Aaron sound asleep in bed, but Violet, lying next to the little boy, asleep. Kate had to smile. Violet's arm was behind Aaron's head, the toddler snuggled up against the teenager, fast asleep, sucking his thumb, Violet trapped under him, a Dr. Seuss book in her free hand. Both were out like lights._

_Kate smiled warmly._

_"Violet hates waking him up once he's asleep." She walked into the bedroom quietly. "She would hate to try moving him. She must have dozed off trying to figure out what to do."_

_Jack smiled._

_"She's a good kid."_

_Kate nodded. He was right, she was, but where did she disappear to some of the time?_

_"Want me to take him to his room?" Jack asked. _

_Kate nodded._

_"Yeah, poor Vi's arm is gonna go numb if I leave them like that," she replied. Jack nodded, giving Kate a small kiss before gently bending over to carefully extract the sleeping boy away from Violet. _

_Neither kid even so much as budged._

_Jack carried the snoozing child from the bedroom, and Kate smiled after them before turning back to Violet, who was absolutely gone. Kate couldn't help but smile at her. She _was_ a good kid. Any other teenager could ignore their little brothers, tell them to beat it, get someone else to read to them, but Violet, though not even related to the child, clung to him, doted on him. _

_Kate crossed the room, grabbing hold of the comforter at the end of Violet's bed, lifting it up over the sleeping teenager, tucking her in gently. Again, Violet didn't move. Her hand was still resting up on her pillow, where Aaron had been nestled. _

_"Vi, I wish you would let me in," Kate whispered, more to herself than anything else._

_That was when she noticed the redness on Violet's wrist._

_Craning her neck, Kate bent over to get a closer look._

_It wasn't just red, there were cuts._

_Not even worried whether or not she'd wake Violet, she took hold of the girl's wrist, turned it slightly to get a better look._

_Twelve. Twelve neatly criss-crossed cuts into her wrist. _

_Suddenly, things began to make sense. The missing razor blade from Jack's cupboard. The changed behaviour. The long sleeves Kate hadn't even thought about until now._

_No._

_Violet stirred and Kate released her hand, watching in shock as the teenager rolled over, grunted a little, and heavy breathing replaced it. _

_Kate felt tears penetrating her vision. Violet was cutting herself, _hurting_ herself, and keeping it a secret. _

_How had it come to this?_

* * *

The tent was ready, Violet had helped Hurley, Kate, Rose and Bernard while Juliet checked on Jack every once in a while. Sun and the rest of them weren't back yet, and Violet had to force herself not to imagine Charlotte lifting the gun off Jin, and killing them all. No, they'd be back. Jack's life was depending on it.

"Did we get everything? Is it all finished?" Violet asked, looking around the tent, the small table next to the makeshift operating table, the one where Juliet's supplies would go.

"I think so. We did everything Juliet told us to," Hurley replied. Violet nodded, glad she was able to contribute in some way. Convinced they had done their best, Hurley and Violet exited the tent to find Kate talking to Juliet.

"-wants you to be there."

"What do you mean, he wants me to be there?" Kate asked.

"I mean, he refuses to be asleep during the surgery. He's convinced he's going to talk me through it. He wants you there so you can hold the mirror."

"Mirror?" Kate seemed confused, but even Violet knew why, and it made her sick to her stomach.

"So he can watch," she said, feeling face drain of color.

Kate turned to Juliet with eyes wide.

"He wants to watch his own surgery?"

Juliet nodded.

"Well, tell him no!" Violet exclaimed emphatically. Juliet smiled a little.

"We are talking about the same Jack, right?"

Well, they couldn't argue with that, could they? But it didn't make Violet feel any better, either. The idea of staying conscious while someone hacked a hole in your gut, took pieces of it out, well, it was enough to bring Violet's lunch into her throat.

* * *

_September 2007...part 4_

_Kate was sitting at the kitchen table, staring at the new diamond ring decorating her left ring finger. It was still so clear in her mind, the night he proposed. It was two nights ago, now, but still so fresh. She'd known it was coming; they'd been living together for months now, it was the next step, but still, Kate felt absolutely blessed in knowing she would become Mrs. Jack Shepherd._

_Aaron hardly understood what marriage meant, and Kate had been worried about telling Violet, but to her surprise, Violet responded with hugs for both of them, squeals of excitement. She even bought them an engagement gift out of her allowance. _

_But there was still the matter of those scars._

_Kate hadn't said anything about them, yet. She'd been trying to puzzle it out, why Violet would cut herself, or if that was even what was going on. But those scratches flashed themselves vividly in Kate's mind - there wasn't any other explanation._

_But she was nervous about confronting the girl. Violet was less than an open book these days. Still, she'd already decided; today was the day. When Violet came home from school, Kate was going to ask her about those scars. She couldn't let this go; Violet was her responsibility now, she couldn't just pretend like everything was okay when it was far from fine._

_It was that moment the door opened up. It would be just Kate and Violet now. Jack was at work, and Aaron was in the rec room watching his cartoons._

_This was it._

_Violet barrelled into the kitchen, dropping her backpack half-hazardly to the floor and throwing open the fridge. Kate stared, wondering where to even start._

_"Where's Jack?" Violet asked conversationally as she poured a glass of milk._

_"He had to work," Kate replied, feeling her throat tighten._

_"Oh." Violet guzzled her milk. "Anyway, I can't stay, I have to get back to school. They added another practice this week."_

_"It can wait, Vi." Kate swallowed. "I have to talk to you."_

_This peaked Violet's interest, and she stared at Kate with curiosity in her eyes._

_"What?" she asked, and realization glazed her eyes. She exhaled loudly. "Oh man, did Monica call you? Look, I know I missed my last appointment, but I called her office already and made another one!"_

_Kate sighed._

_"No, Monica didn't call me, but what are you doing skipping appointments? Therapy is important, Violet, especially now."_

_Violet didn't catch the 'especially now' part. _

_"I didn't skip my appointment, Kate, I had a practice. I just rescheduled it." She reached down to rustle through her backpack._

_"It's important that you keep going, Vi."_

_That sparked something in Violet. The teen seemed to erupt inside._

_"Why, Kate? Why is it important? It's been _two_ years! Why do I need to keep playing this game? I'm _fine!_" she yelled._

_"If you're fine, then why are you doing this to yourself?" Kate jumped forward and seized Violet's arm, pulling up her sleeve just enough to indicate she knew about the scratches._

_As expected, Violet yanked away like Kate had burned her, and stared at Kate with unreadable eyes._

_"It's nothing," Violet finally said._

_Kate shook her head._

_"It's _not_ nothing! Stop lying!" She had to keep going. "Violet, I know you took Jack's razor blade, and I saw the scratches on your wrist the other day when you fell asleep with Aaron. You're hurting yourself, on purpose."_

_Violet was quiet, swallowing every few seconds, her eyes never leaving Kate's._

_"Did Monica tell you this?" she dared._

_"No, Monica didn't tell me anything." Kate sighed. "But you should have. You and I used to talk, but ever since we left the...ever since we left that place, you haven't shared anything with me. I have no idea what you're feeling or thinking, and now this comes up." Kate pointed to Violet's hidden wrist. "How long have you been doing this, Vi?"_

_"It doesn't matter!"_

_"Yes it does."_

_"No it doesn't, it's no big deal!"_

_"It _is_ a big deal, Violet, why would you intentionally _hurt_ yourself like that?_"

_And just like that, Violet whipped up her backpack, slung it over her shoulder and narrowed her eyebrows at Kate, lowering her voice, a slight quaver in it._

_"You wouldn't understand."_

_And Violet fled from the room, ignoring the sounds of Kate calling after her. _


	33. Kate and Jack: Then and Now

**Chapter Thirty Three: Kate and Jack, Then and Now**

_September 2007...part 5_

_Kate hadn't seen Violet since she stormed out of the house earlier, anger fuelling her. Kate had to let her go, trusting she'd be back at some point. The worried part of her already called Rose's mom. Violet and Rose were best friends, and thankfully, Rose's mom confirmed her own daughter had gone out with Violet._

_Well, at least Violet wasn't alone._

_Still, she wished it was her Violet ran to when she was upset. When was the last time Violet had told her anything she was feeling?_

_And now, the girl was cutting her arms. Why?_

_It was after dinner, and Aaron was happy in front of the television, watching his half hour of tv Kate let him have. Kate hoped Violet was getting something to eat, and she couldn't help but wonder why Jack hadn't come home yet. But then, he'd been out more and more at night, not to mention he'd been acting weird the last couple of days, drinking a little more. Kate tried not to think too much of it. Work was probably stressing him out; there was nothing wrong with having a beer or two._

_As if thinking about him made him materialize, Jack came through the door, dropping his keys and joining her in the kitchen. Kate couldn't help but smile._

_"Hey," she said, stretching up to give him a kiss. He offered her a smile, but he seemed distracted by something. Maybe he was just as worried about Violet as she was. She'd mentioned the cuts to Jack, but he didn't really say anything. Maybe he was trying to figure out how to fix this; that was how Jack ticked._

_"I talked to Violet," Kate said quietly, hoping to speak in hushed whispers so as not to worry the toddler in the next room. The boy was so perceptive sometimes._

_"Yeah?" Jack replied, pulling an apple from the refridgerator. "What'd she have to say?"_

_His tone was flat - he must have had a bad day._

_Well, so had Kate, so she went on._

_"She got mad and took off."_

_Jack exhaled, long and hard._

_"Of course she did."_

_There was no surprise in his voice. Yes, Violet was the most stubborn girl she'd ever met, but still, Kate couldn't help but feel offended by Jack's stand-offish comment._

_"Jack, I'm worried about her. There's something going on she's not telling me, telling _us!_ What makes a girl cut herself like that? There's gotta be a reason behind all of this, and she's not talking about it!" Kate hissed, feeling frustrated by Jack's numb demeanor. Bad day or not, he was her fiancee. A little support would be nice right now._

_Jack sighed again._

_"Kate, maybe this is just a phase she's going through." He swallowed a chunk of fruit. "Maybe we should just be thankful she's not trying to kill herself."_

_The words rang through Kate's head, and she shook them away._

_She took a step closer to Jack and glared up at him._

_"If she's not tryin' to kill herself, then what _is_ she trying to do?" She knew Jack cared about Violet, maybe almost as much as she did, but he was no help tonight. She longed for his support, his suggestions, his solution, but he stared into his apple like it was the only thing that mattered right now._

_"I don't know, Kate, maybe you should call her counsellor again. Have her figure it out, isn't that what you're paying for?" Jack glanced at his watch. "Sorry, I gotta get back to work. I only came home to grab something to eat. I have to work late." He leaned in and kissed her, but only caught her cheek as she turned away. "I'll see you later."_

_He left without even saying 'I love you', like he usually did. Kate swallowed. What was going on with him? First Violet, now Jack._

_Kate quickly felt as though her life were spiralling out of control._

* * *

Violet was leaning up against the makeshift tent they'd constructed for Jack's surgery, sleep threatening to overtake her as she stroked Vincent's soft fur under the pale moonlight. At least the screaming had stopped. It seemed like a million years ago now when Sun, Jin and the rest of them returned with the medical supplies, and they started the surgery. Violet had to wait outside, of course, and this was one time she didn't argue. The last thing she wanted to be privy to was an invasive surgery. She was prone to fainting spells on a good day, never mind when there was blood involved. No, she'd stay out here like she was told to.

But it wasn't long before Jack was out of control. From what she could hear, Violet knew Jack was refusing chloroform because he wanted to watch the surgery, but the stuff they gave him to numb the area was obviously not strong enough, because Jack felt everything. Juliet was screaming at Bernard to knock him out anyway, Jack was screaming about wanting to stay awake, Bernard was agreeing with Juliet and then there was silence. Seconds later, Kate fled from the tent in tears, and Violet hadn't seen her since.

Now, Violet shivered as the breeze came in off the ocean, and all she could do was wait.

It wasn't long before Bernard came out of the tent, found Violet sitting there silently, knelt down beside her. She must have looked worried, because Bernard gave her a reassuring tap on the nose.

"You don't have to worry anymore, Violet, Jack's fine." He smiled at her warmly. "Juliet did a really good job."

Violet breathed out, feeling as though she'd been holding her breath the whole time she was sitting out here.

"That's great news," Violet said quietly, meeting Bernard's kind eyes.

"You can go in and see him if you want." Bernard stood, pointing at the makeshift tent they'd constructed. "He's unconscious, but Juliet could answer any questions you might have."

Violet thanked him, and as he took off, she considered stepping in, just to catch a glimpse at Jack, assure herself he was going to be fine, their leader would be fine. A thousand and one scenarios had flashed through Violet's head, of what would happen to them if Jack died. With supposed rescue right around the corner, and with threats of these freighter folk not being who they said they were, Violet doubted anything good could happen unless Jack made the right decisions. Thank God he survived.

But Bernard already convinced her Jack was fine. Kate, on the other hand, was off somewhere, probably frightened and upset. No, Violet knew how Kate felt about Jack; she couldn't be selfish and walk in there for her own personal confirmation, not until Kate had.

Violet jogged down the beach, feeling a slight ache in her stomach. Well, whatever. She couldn't walk around gingerly like an invalid forever.

She found Kate in their tent, which brought Violet a quick rush of relief. She was exhausted; the last thing she felt like doing was scoping out the beach for Kate.

Even in the dark, Violet caught sight of the dark bags under Kate's eyes, who laid on her mat, eyes wide open, tears streaked down her face. A slight sniffle rang through the tent when Violet cleared her throat.

Kate jumped up, hastily wiping away her tears as she caught sight of Violet. Violet swallowed; Kate always tried to be so strong for Violet, it was weird seeing her in a moment of weakness. But it was okay; Kate had every right to be upset. It didn't take a genius to know Kate had feelings for Jack.

"Sorry to interrupt," Violet whispered. "I just came to tell you, the surgery's done. Bernard came and told me. Jack's fine."

Kate's face relaxed, as she let out a haggered breath. Violet fought a smile. Finally, some good news.

Kate stood and brushed her hair off her wet face, as she passed Violet, gently squeezing her hand as she passed.

"Thanks, Violet. I'm gonna go check up on him."

Kate headed down the beach, and Violet fought the urge to follow. Yes, she still wanted to see Jack, cast her own eyes upon him to make sure he was still breathing, to prove to herself Bernard was telling the truth, but she'd seen the look in Kate's eyes. Sure, Violet was only 14 years old, but Kate loved Jack, and though the triangles going on between Sawyer, and even Juliet were more than complicated, it didn't change the fact that Kate had strong feelings for Jack. No, she needed to see Jack on her own. As Violet watched Kate disappear into the darkness, she knew this was one time she shouldn't follow.

* * *

_September 2007...part 6_

_When Kate pulled into the driveway, she realized Veronica's car was already gone. That meant one of two things; either Violet was home early from soccer, or Jack was home early from work. Swallowing hard, Kate couldn't help but hope it was Violet. Jack would ask questions, and that was the last thing she needed right now._

_When she let herself into the living room, dropping her keys on the desk near the door, she found Jack sitting in the living room, nearly in the dark, sipping back a beer. Kate felt a tightness closing up her throat. She would have to lie. She hated herself for this, who lied to their fiancee? But no, she couldn't let him know where she'd been. It would change things._

_"Hey," Kate greeted as she stepped further into the living room, where she saw the coffee table littered with bottles of beer. So, he'd been drinking. How drunk was he?_

_"Where've you been?" Jack asked in a slurred tone, tipping back his current beer to chug back some more alcohol. Kate felt her heart hammering inside of her, but she kept her face calm._

_"I had some errands to run." Kate looked around. "Did you send Veronica home?"_

_Jack only nodded._

_"Is Vi home?" Kate asked quietly._

_Jack shrugged with a goofy-looking smile._

_"I don't know, Kate, shouldn't you keep better tabs on her?"_

_That stung. There was something irking Jack, and it was starting to get annoying._

_"Jack, what is going on?" she finally asked, taking a seat on the sofa across from him, trying not to let her gaze fall upon the bottles._

_"I want to know where you were, and don't lie to me." Jack leaned forward, bringing his beer bottle down hard on the coffee table. "I heard you on the phone the other day. I _know_ something's going on, and I want you to tell me what it is!"_

_So that was it. Jack was suspicious of her. He'd been paying attention to her recent phone calls. No, he couldn't know she'd been talking to Cassidy, Sawyer's ex, the mother of Sawyer's daughter. No, Jack couldn't know that. He'd never understand._

_"Jack." Kate swallowed, staring Jack hard in the eye, fighting back nervous tears. "I'm going to ask you to trust me. Trust me, and please let it be."_

_Jack, being Jack, wasn't satisfied with that kind of answer._

_"No, I can't just let it be. I want to know who you were talking to, and who you were _with?_" Jack was raising his voice, and unknown to both of them, Violet had come down the stairs, and stopped around the corner, craning her head carefully around the bend, listening._

_"I can't, Jack, I-"_

_"Tell me."_

_"Let it be!"_

_"TELL ME!"_

_"I was doing something for him!"_

_Silence. _

_Violet swallowed, eyes widened. Him? Who was him?_

_"Jack, please." Kate was crying now. "I made him a promise."_

_"So why didn't you tell me?"_

_"Because," Kate swallowed. "Because Sawyer wouldn't want me to."_

_They were both standing now, staring each other down._

_"Oh, but Sawyer's not here, is he?" Jack taunted, eyes wide and glazed. "No, he made his choice. He chose to stay on that island, didn't he? He left you. I'm the one who's here right now, aren't I? I'm the one who rescued you!"_

_Kate wiped away a stray tear as Jack turned and grabbed a new bottle of beer. This was not Jack, this was _not_ the Jack she knew and fell in love with. Fear and emotion welled up inside of her and she let out a sob before continuing._

_"Jack, if you have problems, you need to figure them out. You're drinking too much, you're working long hours, you're accusing me of things that have _nothing_ to do with this, with _us!_ You've got to figure out whatever's going on, Jack, because I can't have you like this around my son!" Kate exclaimed, trying not to raise her voice too much._

_Jack spun on her, glared at her with fire in his eyes as he took a few steps forward._

_"Your son?" he spat. "You're not even related to him!"_

_Violet closed her eyes, feeling a tear stab her own eye, and that was when she heard the floor creak._

_She turned just in time to see Aaron, clinging hard to his stuffed toy, dawdle his way into the living room, just in enough time to see his mother crying, and the two of them fighting._

_"Aaron." Violet jumped out, and swept the boy up in her own arms, just as Jack and Kate both looked up to see the two there. Aaron rested his head on Violet's shoulder, and Violet stood frozen for a moment, looking from Jack to Kate. Jack was pacing, breathing heavily, and Kate had tears streaking down her face. Violet felt something catch in her throat. This was bad. Whatever this was, it was bad._

_"I'll just..." Violet tried to swallow. "I'll bring Aaron back to bed."_

_Violet turned, and tried to ignore the jackhammer that was her heart. She took Aaron upstairs and tried not to listen to the sounds of Jack and Kate fighting some more. Instead, she focused on protecting Aaron, whispering into his ear a little lullaby in hopes to drown out the fighting downstairs._

_Once Violet had Aaron settled back into his own bed, she stroked his hair until he dozed back off, something that always put the kid to sleep, no matter what was going on. The kid was born on a deserted island, he could sleep through anything, and he trusted Violet with his life. As long as she was there, everything else seemed perfect, even when it wasn't._

_Violet tried not to think about the tears in Kate's eyes, the external sign of a broken heart. Jack was acting so weird, and it was killing Kate. Violet suddenly felt guilty for screaming at Kate earlier in the week, for avoiding her like the plague, for keeping her secret from her. Maybe she was the cause of all of this. Maybe Kate was so overwhelmed with learning Violet was cutting herself, Jack distanced himself and now this? Tears tickled her eyes as she heard the front door slam. _

_Jack was gone._

_Swallowing, it wasn't long before Kate took the stairs. Violet hastily brushed away the forming tears in the corners of her eyes, focused intently on Aaron, who was dead asleep by that point. It wasn't long before the footsteps grew closer and closer, until they stopped._

_Kate was standing in Aaron's doorway._

_Breathing out slowly, Violet stood, turned off Aaron's little lamp and joined Kate in the hallway, gently closing the door behind him._

_"He's asleep," Violet reported quietly, having no idea what else to say. She met Kate's eyes, saw the hurt in them, the tears glazing them, the bravado Kate was trying to wear, but failing._

_"Jack's gone, Violet," Kate managed, never meeting Violet's eyes. "He's gone. I don't think he's coming back."_

_Violet swallowed, breathing out slowly._

_"I'm sorry," she said._

_"Don't, Vi." Kate forced a smile. "It's not your fault."_

_"No, I'm-" Violet bit her lip. "I'm sorry I've been a jerk lately."_

_Kate seemed distracted, and exhausted. She met Violet's eyes and blinked._

_"Don't worry about it, Vi. It's okay."_

_With that, Kate turned and headed for her own bedroom, as guilt ate Violet away inside. No, she couldn't do this. She couldn't keep pushing Kate away, especially when she was like this. As much as Violet was hurting inside, she couldn't keep lying._

_"Two years, Kate!" she called out as Kate reached her door. Kate stopped, turned and met Violet's eyes, her eyebrows narrowing slightly._

_"What?" she asked, turning back to Violet, walking toward her._

_Violet swallowed, looked down at the ground as Kate approached her._

_"You asked me the other day how long I've been doing this for." Violet touched the sportsband around her wrist. "I've...I've been doing it for...for two years."_

_Kate was silent, so Violet continued._

_"Since...since we got off the island."_

_For a long time, Violet didn't think Kate would say anything. Kate just stared at Violet with tears in her eyes, stared at the sportsband, bit her lip. It was what Kate did when she was trying not to cry. Maybe this wasn't a good time to bring this up, Violet wondered. But then, when was the right time anyway?_

_"Why, Violet?" Kate asked simply. Violet sighed, felt her own tears stinging like scorpions._

_"Because..." Violet swallowed. "Because it makes me feel alive, Kate."_

_"What do you mean, I don't understand why-"_

_"I do it to keep me alive," Violet tried again._

_"What are you talking about, Violet? Help me to understand this." Kate seemed so desperate to catch a glimpse into why Violet was hurting herself like this._

_"Violet, I-"_

_"I cut myself so I won't _kill_ myself!" Violet shrieked, clamping her hand over her mouth after a second, glancing toward Aaron's doorway, realizing she could have just woken up the sleeping toddler. Hearing no peep from the boy's bedroom, Violet began to cry._

_"I...I promised her...I promised her I wouldn't kill myself, Kate."_

_"Who, Violet, who did you promise?"_

_Kate wouldn't like that part._

_Violet swallowed._

_"Juliet."_

_Kate was silent. Violet wasn't surprised. Kate had always hated Juliet, for her involvement in Violet's life, for her kissing Jack, for her kidnapping Violet once upon a time, and then planting herself as a mole in their camp, only to redeem herself eventually, but not in Kate's eyes. In Kate's eyes, Juliet was still the enemy, even though she was still on that island. Violet swallowed, reading the look in Kate's eye._

_"Don't worry, Kate," she said meekly. "I'm not going to kill myself, but I'm not going to stop cutting either."_

_Kate came alive then, glanced at Violet with tough eyes, and took hold of the girl's shoulders, holding her firmly._

_"No, honey, you _have_ to stop this. You can't do this to yourself," Kate pleaded. Violet shook her head, a tear squeezed out of the corner of her eye._

_"I have to." She swallowed. "I need this."_

_"Why, sweetie, _why_?" Kate was trying so hard to understand, grasping so desperately at the few clues she was catching, trying to forget about Jack for just a moment so she could help the girl who'd closed herself off for so long. Violet was coming apart, and Kate had to be here. Jack or no Jack, Kate still had to take care of these children._

_"Because," Violet paused. "Because it helps me...helps me forget the pain."_

_"Violet." Kate took hold of the girl, took her in her arms and held her. "You don't have to forget the pain. Alright, we can talk about it. You can tell me what's going through your head. You can talk to me."_

_But Violet only shook her head, pulled away, looked Kate straight in the eye with all the finality she could muster._

_"I don't want to talk about the island, Kate." Violet swallowed. "I don't want to remember any of it."_


	34. Planes and Helicopters

**Chapter Thirty Four: Planes and Helicopters**

_January 2005...part 1_

_Violet was floating, or at least, that was how it felt. Her eyes were closed, and though she heard the humming below her, felt the floor beneath her vibrating, felt herself moving along with the aircraft she was in, she was numb. She could feel Aaron stirring in Kate's arms next to her, she heard Hurley's heavy breathing across from her, but it still felt like a dream. Were they actually on an aircraft carrier back to the States? Was it really only a week ago they were rescued?_

_All of that was so distant now. Now, the seven of them, Sun, Hurley, Sayid, Jack, Kate, Violet and little Aaron were dressed in clean clothes, freshly showered, and thousands of feet in the sky, on their way to LA. _

_Violet swallowed, opening her eyes when she heard footsteps approaching them. It was Karen Decker, an Oceanic airlines representative who had flown out to Membata to collect them, and assure them Oceanic would be paying out a large settlement for their troubles. Now, she was bringing them back to the States. In Violet's opinion, the woman was a little too cheery for someone who was dealing with people who'd been stuck on an island for three months._

_"We're coming in for a landing," Karen announced as she hung on to an overhead compartment, having to yell over the engines._

_When nobody said anything, Karen went on._

_"Your families are all waiting for you at the landing base, but they aren't the only ones. The press is there too, and they're going to want to talk to you, but as far as we're concerned at Oceanic Airlines, you don't have to speak to anybody."_

_Nobody spoke again, and Violet stared at a stain on the ground. Finally, Jack spoke up._

_"We'll talk to them."_

_Karen stared at him for a few seconds, considering him until she turned to the rest of them._

_"Is that okay with all of you?" she asked._

_Again, nobody spoke, except Jack._

_"It's fine, we've already agreed we'll talk to them." He seemed so calm for someone who'd been through what they'd all been through. "We just want to get this over with."_

_"Alright, we'll see you on the ground." Karen paused. "Oh, and you should know, the press is referring to you as the Oceanic Seven. We don't like that kind of branding, but you've got to admit, it is catchy."_

_With that, Karen ducked out of the cargo hold and left the seven survivors to themselves._

_Jack spoke again._

_"Okay, we all know the story, right?" he asked, catching everyone's eye individually. "We stick to that story to keep everyone safe. If there's a question we can't answer, just don't say anything at all. It's okay, they'll probably just think we're in shock." _

_Sun glared at him._

_"Jack, we _are_ in shock," she said._

_Violet sighed. Shock was the understatement of the century. She was falling apart inside. In fact, she hadn't spoken a single word since they stepped onto Penny's boat a week ago. The only acknowledgement of their concocted story she gave was a nod of her head, but that didn't mean she had to agree with it. It felt so wrong, lying. _All_ of this felt wrong, but she wasn't going to say anything about it. No, she didn't want to talk to anybody._

_Suddenly, she felt the plane lurch, and she impulsively reached for Kate's free hand, and then, feeling ashamed and childish, pulled away. What was there to be afraid of? Just because she'd lived through two plane crashes (well, one was a helicopter), it didn't mean every plane she would ever get on would crash._

_Kate seemed to understand her fear, and, with a faint smile, reached over and took Violet's hand in her own. Aaron cooed happily._

_When Violet felt the wheels gently skid along the runway, her stomach flipped inside of her. They were here, they were in LA. No more island, no more survival, no more danger. When those hanger doors opened, the seven of them would step out onto American soil. There would be normal washrooms, kitchens, grocery stores, no more hunting boar and scouring trees of whatever fruit was left. It all felt so surreal._

_The hanger doors opened, and Jack took the lead, as always. He stood, shielding his eyes from the penetrating sunlight casting their shadows on the plane's concrete floor. Violet bit her lip as, one by one, the six of them, plus Aaron, rose to face the music. Cameras were already flashing, as they began to file off the plane. Violet hardly noticed Kate hadn't let go of her hand. Violet was secretly thankful. She was terrified to step off this plane._

_Suddenly, the crowd was clapping as they stepped off the plane, one by one. As cameras flashed mercilessly, strangers began stepping forward. Violet's throat closed when she realized they were family members. Jack went straight to an older woman who had the same dark hair as Jack, a spanish couple received Hurley with tight embraces, Sun went to a Korean couple, her face a stone as she let her mother hug her. Sayid seemed to have nobody waiting for him, but Hurley quickly pulled him into his own reunion, smiles all around._

_And there stood Kate, and there stood Violet. Violet knew nobody would be here for her. Her mother was dead, her sister was dead, and her father, who could have been here waiting for his youngest daughter, had killed himself because the guilt was too much for him to handle, months ago. Violet wanted to ask Kate why nobody had come for her, but she could read the look on Kate's face. It was the same look Violet had worn all week - she didn't want to talk._

_Violet felt a small squeeze to her hand from Kate, and Violet felt tears sting her eyes. She looked out into the crowd, and let herself imagine what this moment would have been like if her father had still been alive, if he had been here, eyes glistening with tears as he stepped forward to meet his daughter for the first time._

_Imagining it did nothing but leave Violet with a bitter taste in her heart._

* * *

Violet had never been much of a tattle-tale. After all, her only sibling was Katie, and she was 16 years her senior. There wasn't a lot Katie did that Violet could rat on to their mother. But this she felt was too important not to speak up on.

It had only been a day since Jack's surgery, and Juliet had ordered him to stay in bed, and not leave, under _any_ circumstances. Violet had only ever seen Juliet as serious, and that was when Violet was held captive with the Others, and Juliet warned her, with severity, not to cross Benjamin Linus. She'd been right then, and Violet knew she was right now.

Which was why she was racing through the camp toward Juliet's tent, where the woman was just straightening out her sleeping pallet.

"Juliet," Violet said as she came to a halt outside her tent. Juliet looked up and recognized the seriousness on Violet's face.

"What is it Violet?" Juliet asked, coming out from the tent and staring at Violet seriously. "Are you okay? Is it your stomach?" Violet shook her head.

"No, I'm fine," Violet replied, referring to her still healing gunshot wound. "It's Jack."

A look of concern crossed Juliet's face.

"What about him? Is he okay?" Juliet wanted to know.

"I'm sure he's fine, but I thought you should know he's not in his tent, and he's not resting." Violet blushed. "I didn't want to be a snitch, but I know you told him he has to rest to get better."

Juliet shared a small smile with Violet.

"Thanks for telling me." Seriousness returned to her face as she stepped past Violet and walked briskly toward the kitchen, where Jack could be seen trapsing through the kitchen, pouring himself a bowl of cereal. Violet followed, for lack of anything better to do.

"Hey!" Juliet chastized as soon as she was within earshot of Jack. "What did I say to you?"

Jack looked like a deer caught in the headlights, and Violet couldn't help but stifle a giggle.

"You told me to stay in my tent," he replied sheepishly.

Juliet waited, and Jack nodded toward his bowl of cereal with a cheesy grin.

"But I was hungry."

"So you ask someone to get it for you," Juliet said with a shake of her head. "Honestly, doctors make the _worst_ patients!"

The three of them shared a small laugh when Sun's voice pierced through.

"Do you hear that?" she asked. Everyone stopped and listened. It took a while for Violet's ears to recognize the sound, but she knew it immediately, remembering the sound from only days ago when they met Daniel Faraday, after he'd bailed from the helicopter.

A helicopter.

A few cheers erupted through the crowd, smiles all around, as they probably all assumed Sayid and Desmond had finally sent the helicopter back to rescue the rest of the islanders. They all thought rescue was coming, finally.

But Violet had a nasty feeling in her gut brewing, as the lights from the helicopter broke through the clouds and came closer to the island. But that was what was weird. The helicopter wasn't descending.

No, it kept going.

It wasn't going to land on the beach.

Over their beach, the helicopter flew, and Violet squinted her eyes tight to realize something was flying out of the helicopter.

CRASH! Down came someone's tent, as whatever had been chucked from the copter landed and destroyed the tent. Cautiously, Jack ran toward the tent, ignoring Juliet's remarks to take it easy. A crowd formed around Jack as he removed a yellow knapsack, and ripped it open. He reached inside, and pulled out one of those sat phones, the same one Naomi had with her when she was knifed in the back by Locke, the same one Miles, Daniel and Charlotte all had. The only other person she knew who had one was Lapidus, the pilot.

The pilot...

Jack looked up, after realizing the phone was showing the coordinates of where the helicopter was going. He knew what was going on before anyone else figured it out.

"I think someone wants us to follow that copter."

* * *

A small group had formed, consisting of Jack, Juliet, Kate, Sun, Violet, Daniel and Charlotte. They were all discussing the sat phone situation.

"Jack, how do you know whoever dropped that sack is wanting us to follow them?" Kate asked.

"Why else would they throw a perfectly good sat phone from a helicopter?" Jack responded. "It might be Desmond, or Sayid."

"Maybe they dropped it?" Violet suggested.

"Convenient they would drop it right over our camp, and convenient the phone _happens_ to be on," Jack pointed out. Violet reasoned it was a good point.

"Well, it's a phone, isn't it?" Sun asked. "So, can we just call whoever is on the other end and see what is going on?"

Everyone was silent as they realized it was a good suggestion. Jack turned to Faraday.

"Can we?" he asked. Daniel thought for a moment and nodded.

"We should be able to," he replied as he reached for the phone. Jack handed it over somewhat reluctantly.

"Don't do anything stupid," Jack warned. Violet rolled her eyes. Of all people, Daniel was the least likely to be an enemy. Charlotte, she still wasn't convinced about, but Daniel, well, now she saw him as the nerdy senior who tried to ask her sister to prom. He was alright in her book.

Daniel took the sat phone and punched in some numbers while everyone stood by, biting nails, staring wide-eyed. It was late, by now, people were usually starting to fade into the world of sleep, but nobody would sleep tonight, not with the possibility of rescue so close.

There was some static on the other end of the phone, and then voices. It was like the other phone was on that helicopter, but nobody knew it was connected to another phone. An unfamiliar voice was shouting.

"Land in that clearing, Frank, the rest of you, you know the plan. Move out to the Orchid!" a gruff man's voice ordered. Jack breathed out and shared a glance with Juliet, the only one who'd been on this island for years.

"Does the Orchid mean anything to you?" he asked. Juliet shook her head.

"No, I've never heard of it," she replied. Violet noticed Kate glaring at Juliet as though she were lying. Well, Violet had to give her some credit there; Juliet had lied on several occasions, it was hard to know whether she was lying or telling the truth half the time. On the other hand, ever since Juliet had come clean to the camp about her involvement with Ben and being planted as a mole, she seemed, for the most part, to be telling the truth on a lot of things.

Jack paused, as though considering their next move, and then he turned to Kate, a look of great determination etching every corner.

"I'm going after that copter," he told her. "You wanna go for a walk?"

Kate nodded.

"I'll get my pack."

"I'm going too!" Violet exclaimed before either Jack or Kate could run off to get their things together. Both turned to her, and Violet could read their expressions like a book. She'd seen it so many times before.

Like clockwork, Kate shook her head and stared hard at her.

"No," she said simply. Violet glared. They were going to try forcing her to stay here on the beach, order her to stay put, again. No, not this time.

Violet stepped forward, her face close to Kate's as she hissed her answer.

"You owe me one," she whispered, remembering only days ago when Kate had taken off and failed to return, leaving Violet feeling abandoned and alone. No, Kate had no right to tell her to stay put, not when she couldn't promise she wouldn't return.

Kate seemed to catch Violet's drift, and was struggling internally, and it showed. Biting her lip, Kate glanced at Jack, hoping he would provide some kind of helpful solution. But Jack only shrugged, glancing at Violet, and then back at Kate.

"Your call, Kate," Jack replied, which surprised Violet. Usually, Jack was as adament as Kate was on keeping her back, and after Violet getting shot only days earlier, she would have expected Jack to be as protective as Juliet had been. But something about Jack had changed over the last few days, and Violet wasn't exactly sure what it was, but he was letting Kate make the call.

Which wasn't exactly settling comfortably in Violet's stomach anyway.

After a moment of silence, Kate heaved out a heavy sigh.

"Fine," she said, staring at Violet with defeat. "But you're gonna need a gun. This is way too dangerous for you to come with us unarmed."

A gun. They were going to let her have a gun. Automatic thoughts raced through her mind as she imagined her fingers on such a deadly weapon. It was as though Kate could read her mind.

"_But_ you don't leave my side, you got that?" The force in Kate's voice was so intense, Violet didn't dare cross her. She could only nod.

As Jack, Kate and Violet headed off to get their packs ready, Juliet followed after Jack at a speedy rate, her voice shaking as she spoke.

"You can't _possibly_ be serious, Jack! You just had surgery, you're recovering from an appendectomy!" Juliet yelled out. Jack only shook his head, failing to meet her eye.

"I'll be fine, Juliet." He said it with such clear confidence. "I'll be back real soon."

Juliet, defeated, glared hard at Jack, and then caught Violet's eye, who averted her gaze quickly. Kate was just placing a round of ammo in a small gun, and handing it over to Violet. Juliet returned her panicked glance to Jack, lowering her voice to a small hiss, but Violet still heard her.

"I can't believe you are letting her go with you, Jack, and letting her have a gun! She's a _child_, and after everything that's happened lately, I can't believe how irresponsible you two are being!" Juliet snapped.

"Juliet, she's going to be with us the whole time, I'm not letting her out of my sight," Jack replied. "She won't use that gun unless we tell her to."

"I can't believe you, Jack. Do you hear what you're saying? You're taking a 14-year-old girl into the jungle in the middle of the night right toward danger! Jack, those men are dangerous, I'm sure of that! You could get that girl _killed_!" Though Juliet was trying to be quiet, Violet heard every word, but promptly ignored her. She silently hoped Juliet wouldn't be convincing enough to talk Jack out of this. Violet had to go with them, and if they wouldn't let her come, she would follow them anyway.

But Jack wasn't backing down.

"I'll protect her, Juliet."

"You just had your appendix out, Jack, what help are you going to be?"

"I'll be fine, Juliet, seriously." Jack offered a smile, as though trying to make light of the siutation.

But Juliet wasn't laughing. In fact, tears glazed her eyes as she told him not to bleed to death, and stormed off.


	35. Closure

_A/N: Thanks for your reviews. I realized I've been slacking on this story for a while, so I just picked it up again and am writing everyday until its done. I'm 4 chapters ahead of what I'm posting right now, so it's getting there. I just wanted to say this chapter is one of my favourites, as it depicts a really crucial conversation between Juliet and Violet. I love it :) Thanks for reviewing, and happy reading :)_

**Chapter Thirty Five: Closure**

Jack and Kate were just getting the last of their water bottles in their packs as Violet, all ready to go, poured some water into Vincent's dish and handed off the dog's leash to Sun and Jin, who promised to look after Walt's lab until she got back.

"He'll probably just sleep, so he won't be much trouble," Violet explained.

"Violet, don't go. Not safe," Jin tried to warn. Violet had to smile. Jin's english was getting so much better, and she was flattered he would use his broken dialect to try and warn her.

"Thanks Jin, but I'm going anyway."

"Why?" Sun wanted to know. "Why do you have to go with them? You're only a child, Violet. You should stay here where it's safe."

Violet breathed out. As much as it was annoying to constantly have people nagging her about being a child and cautioning her against any and all things dangerous, Violet couldn't deny they were right, in a way. But the truth was it scared her to let Jack and Kate go into that jungle by themselves toward the danger, knowing they might never come back. When she'd been taken by the Others, it had broken her heart in two to imagine she might never see them again. And as much as she'd been angry at Jack and Kate in the past, she couldn't deny their importance in her life, and she couldn't let them go, not without her.

Violet offered Sun a small smile.

"I don't think it's any safer on the beach than it is out in that jungle." She shrugged. "Besides, I've got a gun, and Kate and Jack will be with me."

Sun was hardly convinced, but didn't press the matter any further, which Violet was secretly thankful for. As Sun and Jin turned toward their tent with Vincent, Violet caught a third set of eyes upon her, upon the bulge in the back of her pants that was the gun.

Juliet looked worried. Violet tried to ignore her as she tied her pack.

But Juliet came toward her anyway. Violet's heart leapt in her throat; would Juliet try restraining her, handcuffing her again? Violet instinctively took a step backward.

"Violet, this is a bad idea," Juliet said simply. "You were shot."

"That was four days ago," Violet pointed out.

"It takes more than four days to heal from a gunshot wound, Violet."

Violet was defeated. Failing to concoct anything better to say, she simply shrugged and ignored the silence that grew between them.

After a moment of silence, Juliet spoke up again.

"Just be careful out there, okay?" she asked.

Violet couldn't control the small laugh that erupted from her lips.

"What?" Juliet inquired.

Violet never had understood why Juliet had always been so concerned for Violet's safety. Maybe that was because it was hard to separate Juliet from the Others, at least in Violet's mind. Jack seemed to have accepted it pretty quickly, and Kate refused adamently. Violet was on the fence, but she couldn't deny the genuineness Juliet seemed to hold whenever it came to Violet. It made Violet wonder about Juliet's past - perhaps there were answers there.

"Nothing, it's just funny how things can change," Violet answered.

"What do you mean?"

Violet hesitated, hoping it wouldn't come out wrong.

"Well, it's just weird. You know, less than two months ago, you and your people kidnapped me and held me against my will." A small smile crept onto Violet's lips. "And now you're telling me to be careful."

Juliet was silent for a moment, before she smiled as well, laughing quietly.

"Yeah, there is that." She paused. "I'm sorry about all that, for what it's worth."

Violet didn't respond, but both of them knew it was not something Violet was harbouring. Even during her time with the Others, Juliet had acted out of her assigned role, protected Violet, kept her as safe as she could from Ben, and risked her own position to do it. Violet had always known Juliet wasn't like the Others. In all reality, Juliet had been just as much of a prisoner as Violet.

Violet snapped the last of her buckles on her pack, and then reached around her back and pulled out the gun Kate had given her. She stared at it, took in every detail, and then sighed loudly, meeting Juliet's concerned gaze.

"I don't even know how to use a gun," she admitted shyly, eyes darting back to the gun, swallowing hard. "I...I don't think I could ever use it on anyone else."

Juliet stepped forward, sensing something important in Violet's wording.

"Anyone _else_?" she asked, her voice silent and laced with concern.

Violet felt her heart leaping inside of her, and she cleared her throat quickly.

"I'd better get going," she whispered. "Jack and Kate are probably ready to go."

Juliet gave a small nod, obviously not having forgotten what Violet had said.

"Be careful," she said again, and reached out to gently take the gun from Violet for a moment. "If you have to use this, make sure you release the safety. Just like this." Juliet demonstrated for Violet before hesitantly handing the gun back over to the child, who looked so wrong holding it.

"Thanks." Violet swallowed as she stuffed the gun back in her pants. "Um, look, I don't know what's going to happen out there. If those men are dangerous, well, and if I get killed-"

"Don't talk like that, Violet."

"I'm serious."

"Then why are you going?"

Violet sighed loudly, feeling tears stinging her eyes as she met Juliet's eyes again.

"I'm going because I need to be with Kate," she said simply, hoping Juliet would know enough about her to understand her reasons. "Juliet, I may get killed, so I have to ask you one more time, because...because there might not be another chance."

Juliet knew what she was asking before the question even came up.

"You want to know about your father."

Violet hesitated, but then gave a small nod.

"Violet, I've told you I don't think it's a good idea for you to know how your father killed himself. I don't think it's going to do you any good to hear it." Juliet sighed when Violet's eyes filled up with tears. "Why do you need to know so badly, Violet?"

Violet sighed with a hint of vexation.

"I don't know, Juliet. Closure, maybe? Maybe to stop all the nightmares, maybe so I can stop wondering, so I can stop _obsessing_ over it, imagining it all in my head. Was it quick, did he die slowly, was he in pain? I don't know _any_ of it, and it eats away at me every day! I'm sick of thinking about it all the time, about _him_ all the time! If I knew, if I finally knew, maybe I could put him to rest, let him go." Violet wasn't sure how much of that was true, but she did know how much those thoughts had been plaguing her since reading her father's suicide letter. Juliet was the only one on the entire island she could ask about the details surrounding her father's death. It was an endless battle, trying to get Juliet to tell her, but Juliet had remained firm.

Until tonight. Tonight, Juliet seemed different. Before, Violet could easily read her expression; an adament no etched in her tight lips. But tonight, her face was different.

Juliet looked away for a split second, as though collecting herself. Violet was almost convinced she saw a tear brewing in one of her blue eyes.

"Violet, I'll tell you, but you have to make me a promise first, okay?"

Violet swallowed. _Anything, I'll promise _anything_!_ she thought to herself, as she stared at Juliet, eager awaiting to hear what the trade would have to be for the truth she longed for.

Juliet seemed to hesitate, as though considering whether or not to take it back, but she stepped forward, close enough so she could talk quietly without people hearing.

"I want you to promise me you won't follow in your father's footsteps. You know what I mean." Juliet paused when Violet's eyes dropped, then continued. "Listen, I know life has been rough for you, _more_ than rough, that's not even a good word to describe it. I know things have been really hard and so confusing for you, and I even know how much harder you feel it might get if we do get rescued. I know all these feelings brewing inside of you must feel so overwhelming, but Violet, you've got to promise me you'll stay strong."

Violet bit her lip, feeling the floodgates threatening from deep inside of her as Juliet spoke with a quiet calm, and a hint of sadness. Juliet continued, placing a gentle hand on Violet's shoulder. Violet met her eyes.

"Your mom and dad, Katie, they wouldn't want you to give up. They wouldn't want you to end your life."

Violet felt a single tear roll down her cheek, and she let it. She imagined her mother's soft voice, her loving touch, her calmness. She imagined the look of sadness her mother's face would hold if she knew what Violet was feeling, what she had contemplated, and _Katie!_ Katie would be more devastated than words could describe. Violet felt guilty, guilty for ever thinking those thoughts for the pain it could cause her family, if they were watching her, waiting for her.

Violet swallowed back the rest of her tears and met Juliet's eyes again.

"Why...why are you asking me to make this promise?" She wanted to know.

Juliet breathed out slowly, a small smile creeping into her lips as she gazed at Violet.

"Because, believe it or not, I _do_ care about you," Juliet replied.

And for the first time since she'd met Juliet, Violet believed her.

Tears pooled in her eyes and flowed over, and as she brushed them away, she managed the smallest of smiles and a nod.

"Okay," she said quietly. "I promise."

Juliet nodded, and hesitated for only a moment before breaking the silence once again.

"Your father, they found him in a hotel room on September 30th, dead in his bed. They discovered he overdosed on sleeping pills." Juliet paused, allowing it to register. "He just fell asleep, Violet. He wasn't in any pain as he died."

Violet didn't move for a few seconds. She didn't speak. She let it wash over her, Juliet's words. The sting of them clawed at her for a moment, but the next, it floated away. She knew the truth. It was over.

Violet let out a long breath, and reached out, throwing her arms around Juliet, who received her in a tight embrace. Violet felt more tears running down her cool cheeks as she whispered into Juliet's shoulder.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Sure," Juliet replied. "Just make sure you keep that promise, got it?"

"I will," Violet promised again, stepping back and grabbing her pack, brushing away a few stray tears. "Well I, uh, I guess I should get going."

Juliet nodded.

"I'll see you real soon," she said with a small wave. "And be careful."

Violet gave a small nod, and trudged over to where Kate and Jack were just finishing up with their packs. Strange, even though the three of them were soon to be running through the jungle toward dangerous men with weapons of their own, Violet felt oddly at peace, at least for now. Something had lifted from her in the last few minutes. She wasn't sure how to describe it, but she felt...lighter.

Maybe that was what closure was all about.


	36. Into the Jungle

**Chapter Thirty Six: Into the Jungle**

They'd been walking through the jungle for hours now. Violet guessed they must have walked right through the night, because the first signs of sun were staring to come up over the mountains in the east. Strange, Violet didn't even feel tired. It only felt like moments ago that they were readying to leave the camp. Violet could still remember the ridiculous conversation she and Jack shared before venturing out:

_"Violet, you remember the rules. You don't leave our side, and that gun is a last resort, and you don't use it unless you have to," Jack had said to her. Violet had raised an eyebrow._

_"Are you saying I should just stand there like a sitting duck if a bunch of guys jump out of the jungle with guns? Should I wait for your signal then?" She knew she was short-tempered, but Jack wasn't being realistic. She'd seen the hundreds of times Jack, Kate, Juliet and others had to reach for their guns without a second's warning. If her life was in danger, she wasn't waiting around for someone to tell her it was okay._

_Jack seemed to understand her point, and breathed out, defeated._

_"Fair enough, but play it safe, Vi," he said simply._

_Kate looked less than impressed, but Violet shot her a small smile._

_"Don't worry," she whispered. "I probably won't even need it."_

Somehow, she doubted that was true, but whatever she could to ease Kate's mind.

Now, hours into the jungle, there hadn't been anything to suggest they were in any danger, but Violet reasoned wherever that helicopter was going was deep enough in the jungle, it still might take them a while to get there.

It was what they would find there that terrified her.

The walk was as silent as death, but Violet was okay with that. She didn't want either Jack or Kate to suspect how crazy her heart was hammering in her chest, how much her stomach ached where the gunshot was, how thirsty she was and wanted to take a break, but Jack was way more hardcore than she was. Kate had tried to get him to slow down a few times, he was, after all, supposed to take it easy after his surgery, that just happened _yesterday_! Violet sighed. _And they yell at me for going for walks two days after I got shot._ Yeah, Jack never made any sense. Even when he was bleeding through his T-shirt, he insisted they keep going.

They were just coming to a thicket of trees when they all heard the rustling.

In seconds, Jack and Kate had yanked their guns out, had them cocked and were circling. Hands shaking, Violet reached behind her, fumbled for the gun and lifted it up, remembering to release the safety on it as Juliet had shown her. It took her double the time it had taken Jack and Kate to pull out their guns. Violet would have to work on that; if it had come to a draw between her and an enemy, she would have been dead right now.

Wide-eyed, the three of them searched for the direction of the rustling, and Violet felt herself jumping out of her skin when the bushes parted and out walked Miles, and behind him, Sawyer.

Sawyer was holding Aaron. Why was Sawyer holding Aaron? Violet's stomach sank to her knees as she lowered her gun, hands shaking.

Jack and Kate breathed sighs of relief, and the three of them tucked their guns back in their pants. Miles watched Violet while she did it.

"So you've joined the A-Team, I take it?" he asked in his usual cynical voice. Violet ignored him, drawing her attention back to Sawyer, and the baby.

"Where's Claire?" Kate asked the question they all wanted to ask. Why was Aaron here, and not Claire? Why was Sawyer carrying a baby? He'd never be caught _dead_ with a baby!

Sawyer's face was all sad looking, and he wouldn't look at any of them, wouldn't catch their eye. He sighed long and hard, looking to the baby instead.

"We lost her," Sawyer said quietly, defeated.

Violet's heart skipped a beat. _No, not Claire!_

"What?" Jack asked loudly.

"She just took off into the jungle in the middle of the night. We spent a day looking for her, but she's...she's gone," Sawyer replied, eyes narrowing as he relived the horror. Violet felt herself shaking as she struggled to catch her breath.

"What do you mean, she's _gone_? Why didn't you look harder, why didn't you look _again_?" she screamed out, feeling the weight of the situation upon her shoulders. Claire could be dead, or taken, or mauled somewhere by a polar bear. What if those men on the helicopter had gotten to her?

Violet felt sick.

"I told you, Freebird, we looked for a day! There weren't even any tracks to follow!" Sawyer yelled back, his old self erupting. Pausing, he took in a breath to collect himself, and noticed all the guns. "Why're y'all armed anyway?"

Jack, still looking shaken about Claire, took a breath and explained about the helicopter and the sat phone.

"We're following it. I think Sayid's on that helicopter and he wants us to follow it," he added.

Sawyer looked panicked.

"You better hope Sayid ain't the one on that helicopter, doc! Because if those guys on that copter are the same ones who just attacked half of New Otherton, then y'all want to be as far away from that copter as possible!" he yelled out. "Half of our people are dead!"

That struck a nerve in Jack, as he got that scrunched up look on his face, a cross between him ready to cry, or lash out.

He chose to lash out this time.

"And what did you do to help them?" Jack yelled. "People are dead, and Claire is missing! Where were you when all this was happening?"

"Hey, back off, doc! You weren't there, so you got no idea what you're talking about!" Sawyer shouted back. Jack opened his mouth to retaliate, but Aaron had started to cry. Violet stepped forward, reaching out and grabbing the baby from out of Sawyer's arms, as Kate stepped between the two men.

"This isn't the time to argue, you two!" she exclaimed. Violet clung to Aaron, bouncing him up and down to keep him from crying. He settled, resting his bald head on Violet's shoulder.

Jack took a deep breath.

"Whether Sayid or Desmond are on that helicopter or not, I'm still going after it," he announced. "I'm the one who told Sayid and Desmond to go out to that freighter in the first place. I promised our people I would get them off this island! That means I have to find that chopper."

Jack was sweating up a storm as he spoke, and everyone around him seemed stuck for words. Not waiting for an answer, Jack pulled out his gun, and nodded to Kate.

"Take Violet and Aaron back to the beach. Keep them safe," he ordered, turning toward the jungle alone. Kate grabbed his shoulder.

"Jack, you can't! You aren't going anywhere alone with those stitches!" she exclaimed, pointing out the bloodied mess on his shirt. Jack ignored her.

"Get the baby back to the beach and make sure he's okay. I'll be back soon." Without waiting for an answer, he traipsed off into the jungle, leaving Kate and Violet to stare at each other, dumbfounded. They were at a loss - neither of them could follow after Jack, not with a baby, and sending Violet back with Aaron alone through the jungle was suicide. There was no choice.

Sawyer finally gave a grunt, and cocked his own rifle.

"Hold up, doc, you don't get to die alone!" he called after Jack, and disappeared through the trees after Jack.

There was nothing left to do for Miles, Kate, and Violet, who held the sleeping Aaron in her arms. Nothing left to do now but head back to the beach, shaken by how frightening this situation had become. Those people weren't here to rescue them, the truth had come out. People were dead, Claire was missing, and a war was coming that nobody was prepared to fight.

* * *

_January 2005...part 2_

_Jack, Sayid, Sun, Hurley, Violet, and Kate, with Aaron in her lap, sat at a long table in front of a crowd of people consisting mostly of press. Camera flashes were blinding, and Violet stared quietly at the microphones in front of her. It had come to this after all - they would have to lie. Violet felt anxiety clawing at her heart as she stared hard at everything but the crowd._

_Karen Decker was addressing the crowd first. She was pointing out on a map projected on a large screen behind them the location of the crash. She traced the course of the survivor's journey toward the small island known as Membata, the island they survived on for four months. Of course, it was all a lie. The statement read announced that the survivors floated on seat cushions from the plane, which landed in the water, and floated around for a day before they were washed up on the beach of Membata, an uninhabited island. Violet felt the truth eating her up inside. The statement read that there were only eight survivors, two died on the island, and the rest died in the plane crash. It was disgusting, Violet thought, to lie about all those people they'd left behind._

_The rest of the story continued, that an old fishing raft had magically washed up upon the shore of Membata, and the remaining survivors, and Ms. Austen's baby, who was born on the island, rowed their way to an island community called Sumba, and from there, they were rescued._

_With that out of the way, Karen introduced the seven survivors, and the press went wild with questions._

_"Dr. Shepherd, can you tell us about the crash!" one reporter shouted. Violet cringed. Did these people have any respect whatsoever? As if anyone who survived a horrific plane crash wanted to recount those details! But Jack spoke with ease, as though it didn't even phase him._

_"It all happened so fast. We hit some turbulance, and things got a little crazy. I knew we were going down. Eight of us got to the emergency exit and, as Ms. Decker already mentioned, we floated on cushions before the current brought us to the island. Within a couple of days, one of the survivors, Libby, succumbed to internal injuries, and the other survivor, Charlie Pace, drowned a few weeks later" he replied without batting an eye. Violet swallowed; how was it that easy for him to lie? Her insides were twisting like mad. Libby was shot unfairly, and Charlie drowned saving all of their lives. How could he speak such lies? It was dishonoring to their memories!_

_"Violet, is it?" a voice called out. Violet looked up and met the eyes of a reporter who was looking right at her, right _through _her. Violet could feel Jack's penetrating gaze upon her, like he was sending her a message. 'Don't mess this up.' Violet swallowed and waited._

_"We understand you were traveling with your older sister, who was your legal guardian, to Los Angeles when the plane crashed. She died in that crash, is that right?" the reporter asked without any tact._

_Violet felt her mouth drying up to paste. She saw Katie's lifeless body in her mind's eye, a gash taken from her neck. Swallowing, Violet managed a small nod._

_"With your sister gone, and both of your parents deceased and no other living relatives to speak of, what are you going to do now?" the reporter continued. Violet felt her throat seizing up but before she could even think of what she would say, Karen Decker leaned into her own microphone._

_"Uh, sorry, but Violet's legal guardianship is off the table. It is a personal matter that has nothing to do with this conference," Decker explained. Violet felt a small trickle of sweat forming on her forehead as she stared at the table. She didn't want to think about her sister, she didn't want to think about her dead parents, she didn't want to think about the crash, about her situation now, about _anything!_ All she wanted to do was sleep for a year._

_She felt Kate reach over and cup her hand over her own, giving it a reassuring pat before another reporter stood and addressed Kate next._

_"Ms. Austen, what was it like giving birth on the island?" he asked. Kate leaned forward, looking tired and drained._

_"Scary," she replied simply._

_"And how old is he now?" _

_"Just over 5 weeks."_

_Lies. All of it lies. Aaron was 8 weeks old now._

_"So that means you must have been about six months pregnant when the Marshall apprehended you in Sydney and was transporting you back to the States, is that correct?" the reporter asked._

_"Ms. Austen's legal situation is also off the table!" she stated boldly._

_It seemed like there were a thousand more questions, and thankfully, nobody bothered with Violet anymore. She shut herself off, went somewhere else in her mind, waited until Ms. Decker brought the conference to an end, and escorted the Oceanic Seven behind the curtain. Violet felt herself shutting down all over, like she'd left a large piece of her heart on that island. She could never be whole, not here, not without her sister, not without her parents, not without the truth. Everything had changed; the rest of her life was a sentence to lies, to remembering the rest of the survivors who were still on that island, and her with no way of ever finding them. The reality of that sank into her heart like a heavy brick._

_Things would never be the same again._

* * *

More hours later, Violet saw the trees ending, and the beach beginning. She breathed out a sigh of relief; Aaron had slept for most of the journey, even when he was being traded off between her and Kate, but now he was awake again, and a little fussy. How could he not be fussy? His mother was gone!

The first thing Violet felt when she walked out onto the beach was her stomach sink.

Sayid was by the water.

Sayid!

_He's not on that helicopter! What is Jack running to?_

In seconds, Kate and Violet were running toward him, desperate to find answers.

"Sayid, what's going on?" Kate asked in a panic. Sayid looked just as panicked as he quickly explained.

"Listen to me, those people on the helicopter are very dangerous! They are intent on killing every man, woman and child on this island!" Sayid shared a look with Violet, and glanced at Aaron. Violet felt her stomach turn to acid. Jack and Sawyer...

"Jack and Sawyer went running after that chopper!" Kate exclaimed, voicing her own, and Violet's fears.

"I know, Juliet told me," Sayid said quickly. "I'm going after them. I brought back a Zodiac raft from the freighter, and we are going to start ferrying people back to the boat. We need to get everybody off of this island. Juliet is going to take care of that, I'm going after Jack and Sawyer."

"I'm going with you!" Kate exclaimed. Sayid was silent for a second before Kate continued.

"You know you'll never find them quickly unless you've got someone who can track them," Kate pointed out.

Sometimes, Violet wished she had a skill like that would guarantee her a spot on all these treks into the jungle.

"Alright," Sayid agreed.

"I'm going too," Violet said, sharing a glance with Kate. "You already told me I could go with you and Jack, so you can't take it back. Besides, I've already got a gun!"

"Violet, maybe you should get on the raft," a new voice added. Juliet. "I was against you going out there from the start, but now we know their orders are to kill everyone. We need to get the children, and Sun off the island first." It was like she was trying to convince everyone involved.

"Listen, I know I'm only 14, but I'm not getting on that raft without you," Violet said for only Kate to hear. Kate sighed, and shared a glance with Sayid, and then Juliet. She shrugged.

"Sorry Juliet, but I guess Violet's coming with me," she said simply. Violet smiled to herself, but knew part of it might have just been her angst toward Juliet coming out. Juliet looked less than impressed as Sayid cocked his rifle, and Violet carefully handed the baby boy to Sun.

"What's going on?" Sun asked. "Where's Claire?"

"We'll explain everything when we get to the freighter," Kate explained, staring at the baby. "Just keep him safe for now."

Violet shared a final glance with Juliet, who looked more than worried now, and followed Kate and Sayid at a run back toward the jungle, muttering a silent prayer that Sun would get Aaron safely to the freighter. That little baby was all of their responsibility now. Violet felt grief gnawing at her, as she thought of Claire, who might be dead, who might be hurt, but she suppressed it. She could cry later; right now, she would have be something more than just a sad teenager.

Now, she was a hunter.


	37. Reunion

A/N: I'm super excited about this chapter. I've been wanting this reunion to happen ever since the end of my second Violet book. Hope you enjoy :)

**Chapter Thirty Seven: Reunion**

Keeping up with Sayid and Kate was a chore. Sayid was a fast runner, and Kate was zig-zagging here and there trying to pick up Jack's and Sawyer's trail, and then they'd take off again. Violet knew she shouldn't be running at all, not with this hole in her gut, but she knew the odds; they'd never catch up to Jack and Sawyer unless they were going faster. Even that made sense in her mind. Still, as they were jogging through the jungle, Violet's mind kept falling back on Claire, and she found herself glancing at every tree, toward every clearing, every bush, hoping for some clue, some glimpse into what could have happened to Claire. Little Aaron was probably on that freighter, crying for his mommy, and she wasn't there to soothe him.

Would she ever be there to soothe him again?

Violet couldn't think like that. So many people she loved had died, it seemed fixed almost. As soon as you got close to someone, they'd die. Was that really how the world worked? If her luck was that bad, then Claire was dead.

How long would it be before Jack and Kate were next?

_Quit thinking like that!_

She realized they had all stopped in a clearing, Kate catching her breath as she stared at a bunch of what looked like footprints in the mud.

"Which way did they go?" Sayid asked impatiently, eager to get running again. Violet didn't speak, but was grateful for the quick break.

Kate looked panicked.

"No, something's wrong here." She pointed out the tracks. "There are other tracks here, ones that aren't Sawyer's or Jack's, or ours. And they're doubling back behind us."

Violet's stomach sank as the realization hit her. This time, she was just as quick as Sayid and Kate yanking her gun out from behind her, releasing the safety, and circling to find their enemy.

Violet's heart hammered like an out-of-control machine inside her chest. _I should have stayed at the beach, I should have stayed at the beach, I should have stayed at the beach, _she thought with every pound of her racing heart. It was the men from the helicopter, who else would it be? Those men knew the three of them were going after them. Had they already killed Jack? Saywer? Were they coming to finish the job? Sayid said it himself; these men were intent on killing every single person on this island. Now, they were going to kill _her_!

Her hands shook with her gun, and she was sure she forgot how to blink.

"Whoever you are, come out now!" Sayid shouted into the silence. Violet swallowed hard; whoever was following them was stealthy, that was for sure. They were so quiet, Violet half doubted anybody was even around.

But those tracks said something different.

Sure enough, a rustling in a nearby bush caused the three of them to whirl around, guns poised. Violet felt like she was going to hurl right there, as fear seized hold of her gut. All of a sudden, the rustling bush moved, and a figure emerged, hands raised halfway. Violet recognized him, but only vaguely. She'd never officially met the man, but she'd seen him walking with Ben, back when she'd been a prisoner of the Others.

His name was Richard, and he was an Other.

"Hey, easy guys," Richard said in an eerily calm voice. "Listen, if I were you, I'd drop your weapons."

"Shut up!" Kate screamed, taking a daring step toward the intruder. "Back away."

He was inching closer to the three of them. Violet shook with fear. Would she have to shoot him? She had a clear shot, she could...but it didn't seem right. He didn't even have a weapon.

"I said you should drop your guns," Richard said again, drawing closer to the threesome.

"Back off!" Kate boomed.

Then came the first click, the first click of too many to count.

Safeties released on tons of guns.

Violet lifted her eyes and realized at least thirty Others had them surrounded, all pointing rifles toward the three now-victims. Violet swallowed. Were they going to shoot?

Richard stepped toward them again, and ripped the gun from Violet's hand.

"I said," he eyed Sayid and Kate. "Drop your weapons."

With no other choice, Kate and Sayid reluctantly handed over their guns to Richard, as the rest of the Others closed in.

* * *

_April 2005_

_Seriously! Who had time to do this much math? Violet's homeroom teacher, Mr. Torino, though Violet had started the ninth grade just in January, having missed the first four months, thought the best way Violet could catch up on all she missed was to give her extra homework every night, more than any other ninth-graders. How was anyone supposed to have a social life with this kind of work load? _

_Kate was out shopping with the baby. Violet would have offered to watch him, but she knew she'd never get any homework done with the baby. Aaron was an easy baby, hardly a handful, but he loved attention, something Violet knew she couldn't give him, not with her pile of crap to get through before tomorrow._

_She glanced at the clock. It was nearing on eight. She sighed. She didn't care how much her grades would suffer, there was no way she was staying up until three in the morning. They could fail her, she didn't care anymore._

_As the numbers in her math textbook blurred before her, she froze when the most familiar, yet distinct feeling washed over her._

_Her heart stopped, her breath caught. It was a feeling like electricity running through every vein, just a quick zap, and it wasn't painful. It was just...it was like she'd felt it before._

_Yes, she _had_ felt it before, once. She'd felt it when she first met-_

_The doorbell ringing interrupted her thoughts, and she jumped in her seat._

_It couldn't be. It couldn't be him._

_Could it?_

_Violet jumped to her feet and ran to the front door, the feeling inside of her growing stronger and stronger. Yes, yes, it had to be him!_

_She threw open the front door._

_There he stood, just like she remembered him._

_Walt._

_Violet stared, feeling tears brimming in her eyes. She'd known, known it was him from the second that feeling hit her. It was the same feeling she'd felt that first day on the island, when she shook Walt's hand. Something had passed between them, something neither had ever spoken about, or been able to explain. Walt had always been different, had been able to sense things. He'd known, when he left on the raft with his dad, that Violet was in danger, and sure enough, the Others had come for her. Then, there was that day in her underwater cell, as Juliet questioned her, when Violet knew, just _knew_Walt was in the building. That feeling led her to escape her cell, run through the winding corridors of the underground and find Walt, just like magnets. She'd known. _

_But then he left the island, and that feeling went away with him._

_Until now._

_And here he was._

_"Walt?" _

_Just the same, but a little taller. After all, it had been six months since she'd last seen him, on the island in the Hydra station._

_Walt's mouth stretched into a smile._

_"Hi, Violet."_

_And, like no time had passed at all, the two fell into an embrace, Violet clinging tight. All these months, she'd imagined the million things that could have happend to Walt. She imagined him dead, imagined him in some far away country, because she'd never been able to feel that connection again. She'd even tried looking him and Michael up once they'd been rescued, but there seemed to be no record of a Michael Dawson anywhere. _

_Letting go of Walt, Violet smiled wide._

_"Walt, I can't believe you're here!" she exclaimed, motioning him inside. "I mean, where have you been, how did you find me?"_

_"It's a long story, Vi." Walt breathed out as he sat down at the table with Violet._

_"I wanna hear it."_

_So Walt told her. Told her how he and his father followed the bearing on the boat Ben had given them, ended up finding a mailing ship and going back to New York. He told her about how his dad went a little weird, and then told him about how he'd murdered Ana Lucia and Libby. Walt stopped talking to him after that, and Michael took off, leaving Walt with his grandmother. He hadn't seen his dad since._

_"I'm sorry, Walt," Violet said quietly, reaching for her friend's hand. "He shouldn't have told you that stuff."_

_"I know." Walt sighed. "I can't stay long, Violet, my gramma is waiting outside in a car. I begged her to let me come here, once I found out where you were. She wasn't happy, thought it was stupid to fly to LA for one visit, but she finally said yes."_

_"I'm glad she did."_

_"Violet, I gotta ask you a question."_

_"Sure Walt."_

_"Why're you all lying?"_

_The question stung Violet hard. Though she could feel Walt's presence, she couldn't predict this question._

_Suddenly, Violet felt the weight of their burden, their need to lie. Ever since they arrived in LA back in January, Jack had made it his personal mission to make sure each one of them took seriously the need to keep lying, to keep their stories straight. Thankfully, Violet had never needed to belittle the lie, not really. Most people shut up about the plane crash when she said she didn't want to talk about it; people were uncomfortable with emotions. _

_But this was Walt. Surely, she wasn't expected to lie to him. After all, he knew about everything that happened on the island; he knew their story was wrong. Their plane _hadn't_ crashed in the water, there were _more_ than just eight survivors, and the other survivors were still on that island._

_At least, they were four months ago..._

_"I hate lying, Walt," Violet whispered, even though nobody else was around. "But Jack thinks we have to, to keep everyone who's still on the island safe. This guy, his name's Charles Widmore, he wants to find the island, and if he finds it, he'll probably kill everyone there. He's tried it once before. If we told everyone about the island, about all the survivors, we'd be putting everyone in danger."_

_Walt listened carefully, and nodded, playing with his fingernails. The two friends sat in silence, both floating back to the happy memories on the island, before they knew they were watched by the Others, before Walt was stripped away from her, before things got worse._

_"Do you still think about the island, Walt?" Violet asked in a quiet whisper, desperate for a confidant. Ever since the seven of them had left the island, it was like the rest of them decided they never wanted to think about it again. Violet so desperately needed someone to talk to about the island, to remember people like Claire, and Juliet, and Sawyer, but everyone else seemed just as satisfied to pretend the island never happened._

_But it _had_ happened. To forget the four months on the island would mean forgetting the place she laid her sister to rest, the place where she'd learned the truth about her father. Too many things happened on that island to just forget._

_"All the time," Walt admitted. "I know it's not a safe place, I know it was dangerous, but it was...home."_

_"Yeah. Home." Violet agreed, smiling a little. "It was home."_

_They sat in more silence for a very long time before Walt gave a sigh._

_"I should really go, my gramma said we couldn't stay long."_

_"Hey Walt." Violet paused. "I'm...I'm really sorry about Vincent."_

_She'd wanted to say it since the moment Walt appeared on her doorstep. It still felt so vivid, that day Walt bequethed the yellow lab to Violet, entrusting her to care for his good friend. After Violet was taken by the Others, Vincent had disappeared, but came back to her eventually. Then, they'd been rescued, and Vincent was left behind. Violet had felt guilty about leaving behind all those people, of course, but Vincent had been a gift. Walt had _trusted_ her to care for the dog, and now, who knew where Vincent was. _

_She felt horrible._

_But Walt only shrugged._

_"It's okay, Violet. I know he's alright. He liked the island almost as much as we did," he explained, standing up. Violet smiled._

_"Thanks Walt."_

_"I gotta go. I'm so glad I found you." He walked with Violet toward the front door. "You should come visit me in New York sometime. My gramma already said you could. We got a spare room and everything."_

_"That's great. I will." Violet smiled again as the two met eyes at the door. "I'm so glad you came, Walt. I thought...well, I thought I'd never see you again."_

_"Weird," Walt reflected. "Because I knew we would."_


	38. No Strings Attached

**Chapter Thirty Eight: No Strings Attached**

When Violet was let go by the Others what seemed like ages ago, back when Kate, Sawyer and Violet had been given a boat and allowed to sail back to their own island, Violet had nightmares for a long time that the Others would come back for her, take her again. She prayed, desperately hoped she would never be a prisoner of theirs again.

And here she was, with Kate and Sayid, sitting around with Richard Alpert and a group of Others holding guns at them. Sure, Richard wasn't ordering their executions, but it was obvious Richard wanted something from them. Maybe Violet wouldn't have felt so nervous if all those guns weren't pointed at them.

"Look, we're not interested in hurting you. I apologize about the guns, but the thing is, we need your help with something," Richard explained in a calm demeanor. Sayid lifted an eyebrow.

"And you didn't think to simply ask?" he asked. Richard smiled.

"You and I both know asking wouldn't suffice, not with our history." He leaned forward. "Those men from the freighter, they found Ben, and they've got him. We need you to help us free him. And if you help us do this, we'll let you leave the island."

And there was that promise again, the promise of leaving the island, the same promise she'd heard in so many contexts ever since those guys on the freighter showed up. And yet, here they were, still on the island.

So it was hard for Violet to believe the man was serious.

But Kate and Sayid perked up when they heard this.

The two of them shared a glance, as if they were sharing a private conversation, deliberating what to do. Violet felt left out, but reasoned they could make a better decision than she could. They would do whatever they thought was safest, and best for everyone involved. Besides, Violet was too tired to make any decisions. There was far too much else going on, finding out how her father killed himself, learning Claire was gone and then running into the jungle toward danger, only to get held up at gunpoint by people she'd almost forgot existed. Yeah, there was way too much going on.

"Alright," Kate said finally. "We'll help you. What do we do?"

Richard hesitated.

"You're not going to like it."

They waited.

"Those mercernaries are moving this way. We're going to intercept them, ambush them, and get Ben out of there." Richard pointed to Kate and Sayid. "You two will be given rifles, and your orders are to shoot anyone who tries to fight back."

Sayid raised an eyebrow.

"Sounds simple enough."

"Yes, well, here's the part you aren't going to like." Richard turned and let his eyes fall on Violet. "We need Violet to run out toward them first as a distraction."

Violet's stomach lurched inside of her, and Kate jumped to her feet, ignoring the sounds of clicking guns around her.

"Are you _insane?_ You want to send her out to those men _unarmed?_" she exclaimed, eyes wild with fear.

Richard stood to face Kate.

"I understand your concern, but I need you and Sayid with the guns. Violet makes the most sense as the distraction; she doesn't know how to use a gun," he explained. Violet narrowed her eyebrows.

"I could!" she exclaimed. Richard met her eyes again and laughed quietly.

"Have you ever used one before?" he asked. "And I don't mean just holding one?"

Well, Violet didn't have an answer for that, not one that she wanted to admit. She sat quietly as Richard continued.

"We'll go with giving the guns to those of you who are more, ah, experienced."

Nobody said anything for a while, but it didn't seem as though there was any other choice. Sure, Richard made it sound like they had a choice, giving them the promise of leaving the island if they helped, but Violet noticed there was no choice in the other direction. Would the Others simply let Kate, Sayid and Violet go on their merry way if they disagreed to this?

As Violet peered at all those guns from the corner of her eye, she doubted it. She would have to accept that in just a little while, she would be sent out as bait to a bunch of armed men, intent on killing every single person on this island.

She reasoned she had every right to be terrified out of her right mind.

* * *

It wasn't long before Richard announced Martin Keamy and his team were dragging Ben through a nearby clearing, headed for the beach. It was time. One of the Others Violet didn't recognize came and took Violet's arm, pulling her away from Sayid and Kate. Kate jumped forward, but another Other held her back.

"Relax, Kate, Violet's going to be fine. Keamy won't kill her until he figures out where she's come from. We'll have enough time before he decides she has no information," Richard said.

Violet swallowed. If he was trying to be reassuring, it wasn't working.

As Richard handed Kate and Sayid guns, giving them instructions, the Other who had her arm watched through a bush as Keamy and his team appeared. Violet's eyes widened; the men were all dressed in camouflage, and right in the center of their little circle stood Ben. Violet shuddered; she hated that man. He'd tortured her without batting an eye. Why in the world were they agreeing to _help_ him?

"Okay, run out there until they stop you. Tell them you're being chased. Don't say anything about us." The man holding her arm gave no other explanation and pushed her out. Swallowing, Violet stole one quick glance back and met Kate's eye. She stared at Violet with wide eyes, clinging to the gun she'd been giving, biting at her lip. She was terrified, and that didn't make Violet feel any better.

Still, she ran into the clearing as she was told. What else could she do?

They saw her immediately.

The clicks of guns startled her into stopping as the mercenaries glared her down like some kind of animal. The guy who seemed to be their leader, Keamy, approached her, holding his gun level with her chest. Violet was sure her heart was going to claw its way out of her chest.

"Who are you?" he asked, his lips tight and his eyes intense.

Violet let out a gasp, tried not to look behind her in hopes to see the calvary coming. That gun pointed at her chest could go off any second now. How could they let her do this?

"I'm...I'm V-Violet," she stammered, feeling every inch of her shaking in terror. "I...I'm from Oceanic 815."

"Why were you running, Violet?" Keamy asked.

"I'm...I'm being ch-chased."

She wondered how convincing she actually sounded. Lying didn't come so naturally when terror ran through your blood.

Without a second to spare, Keamy cupped his rough hand behind Violet's neck, and pushed her down into the ground, just as another guy in the army get-up pushed Ben, tied up, to his knees next to Violet.

"Don't move, girlie, or you're dead, got it?" Keamy said as he glared. Violet managed a nod, trying not to whimper.

The men went to work, circling the clearing, holding their guns up. As they searched for Violet's pursuers, Violet glanced up and caught Ben's eye. He knew. He knew there was a plan, he knew his people were out there. His eyes said it all, he'd known they were coming.

Everything happened so fast.

The Others emerged from the jungle, shots were fired, people were screaming. Violet cupped her hands over her head as she heard the shots, trembled as she knelt there, but Ben was prodding her with his tied hands.

"Get up, run!" he shouted as he rose to his feet. Violet hesitated for a split second, reasoning of all the people she would _ever_ listen to, it would not be Ben.

But there was a war going on, and it was their chance.

She ran, Ben right beside her.

There was so much going on behind her in the clearing. Violet heard an explosion, a shriek, gunshots. Violet fought back the tears, praying Sayid and Kate got out alright, that they would find her and they could all find Jack and Sawyer and get back to the beach, maybe even find Claire. But first, they had to get out of this alive!

Violet didn't know how far they should run, but it wasn't long before Ben said to stop. Gasping for breath, Ben plopped himself down on a rock, as casual as ever.

"Are you _insane_?" Violet asked. "Those people are probably coming after us!"

"They won't be," Ben replied in mono-syllables. "My people will have killed them all. This is where we'll all meet up."

So this was the plan all along; Ben must have known he'd be taken by those mercernaries, must have told his people to have an ambush ready. Violet couldn't help but wonder if she had been part of their plan all along. It seemed impossible, but Ben's plans had a way of including the seemingly impossible.

Violet didn't bother to ask. She picked a rock as far from Ben as possible. Sure, his arms were tied, he looked like he'd been beaten pretty badly, but this was still the same man who'd ordered her strapped to a chair while he turned up the electricity. No, she wasn't taking her chances.

As Ben predicted, it wasn't long before the rest of the Others emerged into the clearing. Violet jumped to her feet, searching through the crowd of strangers for Kate, for Sayid. She held her breath, and finally released it slowly when she saw them, staggering into the clearing, sweaty and exhausted-looking. Violet shot forward and met Kate with open arms. Kate clung tightly, asking her a thousand times if she was okay.

"I'm sorry I let you go out there," Kate whispered. Violet rolled her eyes.

"Kate, as if we had a choice," Violet replied, letting Kate off the hook. Kate was like that; she'd assigned herself the role of Violet's protector from the beginning, and it was no secret she let guilt plague her like a virus anytime Violet was in trouble, or sick, or in danger. No, this time, Violet wasn't giving her that much credit.

As Kate, Sayid and Violet stepped forward, they could overhear a conversation occuring between Richard and Ben, while Richard cut his leader free.

"Their leader, Keamy. He's dead. The rest of them too. They're gone." Richard shared a significant glance with Violet, Kate and Sayid. "Thanks to them."

Ben nodded.

"What was the arrangement, then?" he asked simply, as though it made total sense there would have been an arrangement.

"I told them if they helped us free you, we'd let them leave the island," Richard stated. Violet secretly rolled her eyes. Yeah right, as if Ben was going to-

"Fair enough." Ben surprised her. "The helicopter is yours. It's just through that clearing there."

And with that, Ben and his people turned to leave. Violet stood dumbfounded, trying to process what had just happened. Unable to contain her confusion, she took a daring step forward.

"Are you serious?" she called. "Just like that. 'The helicopter is yours'? No strings attached?" She asked it with a hint of sarcasm, but Ben stared at her with all the seriousness he could muster, his face a stone.

"No strings attached, Violet," he said in that same creepy voice he used to use when he was trying to convince Violet, back when she was a prisoner, that he wasn't a bad person. He had that look now. "I've told you before, Violet, I'm a man of my word."

Yeah. That she remembered. Harshly.

As the Others departed, Kate and Sayid headed toward the clearing with the helicopter, and the reality of it all hit Violet like a ton of bricks. The helicopter was here. No mercernaries were around to shoot them. No Others were around to stop them. Nothing stood in their way; they had the means to fly off this island. They had the means to go home.

Violet swayed on the spot. No, this wasn't happening. After all this time, this _couldn't_ be happening. _I don't want to leave, I _can't_ leave!_ Tears stung her eyes as she stared at the helicopter like it was a stairway to hell itself. She couldn't get on that thing. She couldn't.

"Violet, are you okay?" Kate asked all of a sudden, stopping to give Violet her full attention. Violet wondered how bad she must have looked. She'd felt all the color drain rapidly from her cheeks; had Kate seen it?

Violet thought on Kate's question. Okay? _No_, she wasn't _okay_! How could she be? It was no secret she didn't want to leave this island, but here was the copter, ready to exchange life on the island for the unknown. Violet felt ready to collapse.

But instead, she nodded.

"Yeah, fine." She paused. "You know, except for nearly getting killed. No big deal." She faked a convincing enough smile to dissuade Kate, but inside, she was screaming.


	39. Reality Stings

**Chapter Thirty Nine: Reality Stings**

As Kate, Violet and Sayid made their way over to the helicopter, Violet quickly realized there were other people surrounding it, people she recognized.

She saw Hurley first.

"Hurley!" Violet screamed, unable to help herself as she flung herself into Hurley's arms, who picked her up and squeezed her with a rumble of laughter shaking his belly.

"Dude, it's so good to see you!" Hurley chimed as he spun Violet like a rag doll. Violet couldn't help but laugh, forgetting for the moment that they were standing next to a helicopter, with the pilot, Lapidus, prepping the chopper for take-off.

"You too, Hurley," Violet said. "I really missed you. The beach just isn't the same without you."

"I've missed you too, man." Hurley paused, breathing out slowly. "I, uh, I hope you aren't...mad at me, you know, for going with Locke."

Violet shook her head.

"Charlie was right all along, Hurley. Those people on the boat weren't who they said they were. People are dead because of them." She bit her lip. "We should have all gone with Locke."

"Yeah, well, I get why you stayed," Hurley replied knowingly. "I know you wouldn't leave Kate."

Violet smiled; sometimes it felt like everyone else knew more about her than she did.

The other figures were Jack and Sawyer, and when Violet realized it was them, she felt that rock in her stomach dissolving. They were alive; they hadn't been killed by those mercernaries. Thank the Lord!

Violet watched as Kate walked right past Sawyer to Jack, as she took hold of his T-shirt, lifting it up to see his stitches.

"You okay?" she asked, realizing most of the blood had dried. "You in pain?"

As they spoke in hushed voices, Violet caught Sawyer stealing glances over, his eyebrows narrow, and a glaze of defeat in his eyes. Violet knew that look; he was jealous. No, he didn't have to say anything, but the triangle between those three might as well have been broadcast by a gigantic sign hovering over the beach. It was like everyone knew about it but them. People could be so blind to what was right in front of you.

Violet could have thought more on it, could have predicted how much further their crazy love roller coaster could fly, but there wasn't time. The next person who spoke uttered the words Violet hoped she would never actually hear, words she would remember for months afterwards, words that would change the rest of her life forever.

"Alright everyone," Frank Lapidus said as he started the engine in the helicopter. "Let's get the hell off this rock."

_Let's get the hell off this rock._

_Off. This. Rock._

_Never to come back._

As the helicopter revved up and the blades spun faster and faster, the engine growing louder and louder, Violet began to panic. Her heart was attacking her from inside, her stomach knotting, her breathing stopped. She stared, wide-eyed at the helicopter, stared in disbelief. This was it, everything Jack had promised, everything they'd discussed and debated for the last few weeks was happening. Rescue was here.

And Violet panicked!

_No, I can't, I can't!_ she screamed inside.

Everyone else was boarding the copter, but Violet wasn't budging. She couldn't; she was frozen to the spot, the only proof she was still alive was the thumping in her chest. She saw Hurley jump on the copter, followed by Sayid, and then Jack. Tears pierced Violet's eyes savagely. She'd known since the day her sister died she never wanted to leave the island, even with all the danger it held, there was so much about it that kept her safe, safe from all the things the world would throw at her, now that she was alone. No, she didn't want to face it, any of it! Life was easier on the island!

"Come on, Freebird, we got us a plane to catch!" Sawyer exclaimed, the first to realize Violet wasn't showing any signs of getting on that copter. Finally, Violet moved, turned her head to stared at Sawyer straight on, and shook her head vigorously.

"No, I can't do it!" she exclaimed, her breaths coming out in short bursts. "I can't, I just..." She couldn't even finish the sentence as tears strangled her. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, and Violet whirled around, jumping out of her skin. She'd been so entrapped by her fears, she didn't even notice Kate hadn't gotten on the copter yet.

"Violet, I promise it's going to be okay," she said softly, but firmly. There was a sense of urgency in her voice. It was like she wanted to be sympathetic, but there wasn't a lot of time to do it. "Alright, we are _all_ here, and in this together. I'm not going anywhere!"

Kate could make promises until she was blue in the face, Violet _still_ wasn't budging.

"Sorry, Freebird, you can yell at me later!" Sawyer said impatiently as he took hold of her arm, and pulled her toward the helicopter. Violet felt herself being pulled, felt her heart seizing inside of her, but she was too exhausted, too much in shock to fight back. She hardly felt a thing as Sawyer lifted her right up, like she was weightless, up onto the helicopter where Kate received her, sat her down beside her.

"No, I can't..." Violet stared out of the helicopter as it lifted off. Reality was a cruel sting; she watched as the grassy slopes, the scraggly trees, the scuffed clearings grew smaller and smaller. Violet's stomach became acid, she felt the sensation of tears on her face, but they didn't quite feel like her own. This couldn't be happening, it was a dream, a nightmare, but the wind from outside the copter pelted her face, forcing her to realize just how real this all was.

As the tears came freely, she thought about everything else that was growing smaller on the island below her.

What about Vincent? She'd left him with Sun and Jin ages ago, and he was probably tied to a tree somewhere. Would someone bring him to the freighter? Would someone keep taking care of him?

What about Claire? Somewhere down there, she was still out there, maybe hurt, maybe dead. Wherever she was, her baby was on that boat, far away from his mother, and they weren't doing _anything_ to find her, reunite her with Aaron.

What about Juliet? It seemed like days ago when Juliet finally told her about her father, made her promise not to kill herself, but as Violet watched the island grow farther and farther away, she couldn't imagine a life away from it. No, she would keep her promise to Juliet, however hard it might be, but how would she find a way to cope?

And what about Katie? The only family she'd known for the last six years. Her final resting place was on that island, it was where Violet felt closest to her after her death. She would never visit her sister's grave again, and the reality of that broke her heart.

Kate was trying to talk to her, trying to say something soothing, no doubt, but Violet wasn't listening. All she could do was stare out the helicopter, oblivious to everything around her.

That is, until Frank started freaking out.

"Damn it!" he shouted. "I'm losing fuel, and fast! Somebody check out the side, figure out where the fuel is leaking from!"

Sayid snapped to life and opened up the side door, leaning out ever so slightly. He returned with dire news.

"The fuel tank was pierced by a bullet!" Sayid shouted. "The fuel is leaking out of the bullet-hole."

"I gotta land this bird somewhere fast, or we're gonna go down!" Frank shouted.

"Do _not_ go to the island!" Jack shouted, desperately.

"I may not have a choice, doc, 'cause I don't see no boat around me!"

"You have to go to the boat, Frank! There is no fuel on that island! If we go there, we'll never get to that freighter!"

Frank was silent for a moment, and Violet felt herself numb to it all. So what if they crashed in the water? So what if they landed on the island and they couldn't get to the boat?

"Alright listen up, I need every single extra ounce of weight thrown out of this chopper! Anything that ain't strapped down, toss it out!" Frank shouted suddenly, and everyone pitched in. They grabbed packs, suitcases, parachutes, anything that wasn't strapped down, and hurled it out of the chopper, but that wasn't enough for Lapidus. He needed it to be a couple of hundred pounds lighter, or they'd never make it to the freighter.

Well, that was it then, wasn't it? They would have to go back to the island, or die trying to make the freighter. Violet sighed; either option would suit her right now. She was so damn exhausted, and wanted to wake up from this horrific nightmare.

She peered up when she realized Sawyer was whispering something to Kate. At a time like this, how could Sawyer be making passes at her? Was he still sour about the attention Kate was giving Jack earlier?

But Kate looked panicked, confused, stared at Sawyer with all the seriousness in the world. Violet suddenly realized whatever Sawyer had told her carried a great weight, was important. Violet felt his word's intensity, though she'd heard nothing.

"Why're you telling me this?" Kate asked, her voice shaking, her lip trembling, and before Violet, or anyone else, could ask what Sawyer had said, he cupped Kate's head in his hands, and kissed her. _Kissed_ her! Kissed her in a way Violet had never seen a kiss enacted before. It almost felt...final, somehow. Violet knew nothing about love, buI t that kiss, that kiss was something.

He moved away from her then, gave a gentle smile. "Just do it, Freckles."

For a few seconds, it was as though all time had suspended. Nobody moved, nobody spoke. It was like someone had hit a pause button, but then, in the flash of an eye, with no warning, Sawyer hurled himself out of the helicopter.

They all yelled out his name, but it was too late. Sawyer hit the water with a savage splash.

Violet felt a boulder settling upon her chest as she realized what Sawyer had done for them, given them safe passage to the freighter, risked his own life and rescue for Kate. As much as it would be nice to believe he'd done it for them all, Violet knew it was for Kate, because he loved her enough to let her go.

Tears leaked out of the corners of Violet's eyes as she watched Sawyer's blonde head bob up to the surface of the water, as he began his lengthy swim toward the island. Violet saw her own tears mirrored on Kate's face. Violet looked down, and allowed herself to cry silently, alone. Whatever the triangle that went on between Jack, Kate and Sawyer, Violet knew that when Sawyer jumped from that helicopter, he'd ripped out a piece of Kate's heart, and took it with him.


	40. Survival

**Chapter Forty: Survival**

"I can't find the freighter!" Frank was shouting, and everyone was scanning every direction possible for any sign of a boat in the water. Everyone, that is, except Violet. All she could do was stare at Kate, whose eyes were puffy, and tear-streaks still stained her soft cheeks. Sawyer was gone, _gone_! Though Kate pretend to distract herself in finding the freighter, Violet knew her heart was breaking, and it would take more than a rescue to overcome that pain. That, Violet could see in her eyes.

Violet's heart was thudding like a jackhammer against her own chest, as a tear of her own fell from her face. It still felt like she was dreaming. At first, all of it felt too real, too close to home, but the more distance Frank put between them and the island, it felt more and more like some crazy nightmare. She had to wake up! Yes, she'd wake up screaming, and Kate would be there, telling her it was okay, and what boat was she talking about?

No such luck.

"There! Behind us!" Hurley shouted all of a sudden. For the first time, Violet craned her neck and followed Hurley's line of sight. Sure enough, there was the boat.

The boat!

_Oh no!_

"Lapidus, get to the freighter! We'll gas up and go back to the island for everyone else!" Jack shouted, turning to Kate, softening his face. "We'll go back for Sawyer."

"What about Claire?" Violet asked, her voice shaking as she didn't even give Kate a chance to answer. "What about everyone else?"

"Them too, Violet," Jack promised. "We'll get them all to the boat."

It was small. It would not make her feel any better about rescue, about leaving this island, but at least she wouldn't have to live with the guilt of leaving people behind.

As the helicopter reached the boat, began hovering over its landing deck, Violet was the first to notice something out of sorts.

There was Desmond, jumping up and down on the landing deck, waving his arms like a madman, shouting something. Violet strained to hear him; it was impossible to hear much of anything with the chopper's blades humming so fiercely.

As the copter descended slowly, the rest of them noticed Desmond as well, and began to pick out fragments of his screams.

Violet's stomach sank. No, he couldn't have said-

"Did he say _bomb_?" Hurley asked, a slice of panic in his voice. Violet swallowed.

"I don't care what he said, I gotta land this thing 'cause I'm outta fuel!" Lapidus shouted as the helicopter came in for a smooth landing. As soon as it touched the base, Sayid and Jack jumped out with Lapidus and they began gassing up the chopper. Desmond, however, was still panicking as he ran to them in a frenzy.

"We've got to get off this boat right now!" he warned, making himself useful by grabbing a tank of fuel. "There's a bomb on this boat!"

"What?" Violet shrieked as she hopped out of the chopper. "What bomb?"

"Look, there isn't time to explain!" Desmond shouted as he dropped the fuel tank and started helping Sayid tape up the bullet holes. "But if we don't get off of this boat in the next few minutes, we'll all be dead!"

Violet's heart took off, and as Jack, Sayid and Desmond helped Lapidus get the chopper ready for liftoff, Violet turned her head and saw Sun standing on the deck, holding a docile Aaron.

_No. We can't leave them!_

Violet ran to Sun, who was just turning and heading toward the cabin door.

"Sun, wait!" Violet called in a panic, stopping her. "Where are you going?"

"I have to go get Jin!" Sun said shakily.

"No, we gotta go now!" Violet exclaimed, feeling the weight, intensity and danger of this entire situation.

"Violet, I'm not leaving without Jin!" Sun exclaimed, turning again.

"Okay Sun, get Aaron on the helicopter, I'll go get Jin!" Violet pushed Sun toward the helicopter. "Where is he?"

"Down below, Violet I don't think-"

"Go, Sun!"

Somehow, Sun obeyed and ran toward the helicopter with Aaron in her arms, who'd begun crying by now. All the shouting, all the panic, all the high tension, he must have picked up on it all.

When Violet saw Sun was headed for the helicopter, she grabbed a hold of the door handle. That was when she heard Kate yelling at the top of her lungs. Violet swung around and saw Kate sprinting toward her with urgency and panic in her eyes.

"No, don't go down there, honey, we gotta go, _now!_" Kate grabbed hold of Violet's hand, who pulled back.

"No, Kate, Jin's below. I told Sun I would-"

"No, no, no, Violet, we're leaving _now, _and I'm _not_ leaving without you." Kate continued to yank on Violet's arm. Violet resisted.

"But Kate, we can't just leave him!" She began to cry as she realized how much danger they were in the longer they stood on this deck, as she realized what would happen if she stayed, as she realized what would happen to Jin if she took off right now. Her head spun wildly, not having any idea what she could do, what was _right!_

"We have to go now, Violet, or we'll lose our chance!" Kate shouted, pulling one final time. This time, Violet listened. She didn't know why, she just ran with Kate back to the helicopter. Later, she would realize as much as she resented rescue, the reality of a bomb on the boat was death staring her in the face. Maybe she didn't want to die as much as she thought she did.

Kate pushed Violet into the copter, where Frank was already revving it up, and Sayid, Sun, Aaron, Hurley, Desmond, Jack were already ready to go. As Kate sat down, Sun handed Aaron over to her, and stared toward the cabin doors.

Until the helicopter took off the landing pad, and Sun lost it.

"Wait, what are you doing?" she cried, shifting in her seat, as fear glazed over her eyes. "Where's Jin?"

The helicopter continued to lift off and Violet felt tears flooding her eyes. The helicopter lifted and lifted, and Sun was still shouting at Lapidus to set it down, they forgot someone. But Frank wasn't budging, he wasn't landing again.

And then, Violet saw him.

Jin.

Only he looked so small from the height they had crawled up to, but Violet could still make out his waving arms, could still hear faint screams of Korean. Violet had to turn away. Tears streamed down her face. He was trapped on that boat, and it was her fault!

"It's Jin!" Sun screamed. "Go back down, we have to get Jin!"

"I can't set down, not anymore!" Frank shouted back.

"You have to, Jin's down there!"

"I can't do it, Sun!"

"You HAVE to, what about-"

_KA-BOOM!_

Violet jumped in her seat, her heart jumping into her throat as she turned back, wide-eyed toward the freighter.

What was left of the freighter.

A giant mushroom cloud erupted into the air, fire rained everywhere, and slowly, the boat began to sink.

The bomb had gone off.

So had Sun.

The shrieks were deafening, her wracked sobs painful to endure, and Violet couldn't help but feel her own tears streaming down her face. She forced herself to look out the helicopter, stare at the wreckage below, prove to herself it wasn't a dream. No, this was no dream, not anymore. The smoke fumes drifting up to Violet's nose, the high-pitch screams coming from Sun, even the heat touching Violet's face from the mushroom cloud rising in the sky. She couldn't fly away into a dreamland anymore; the freighter had just exploded, and Jin was on it.

Jin was dead.

_If I had gotten him..._

"Go down!" Sun continued shrieking. "We have to find him!"

"Sun, we can't!" Jack shouted back.

"Just go down there, we'll find him, we'll-"

"Sun!" Jack shouted, louder than he needed to. "Sun, he's gone."

_He's gone._

How would Sun survive? What would happen to her little baby? Sun and Jin were a team. Violet couldn't imagine just one of them. It wasn't right. None of it right. Her own tears were flowing freely now.

Violet had to look away when Sun met Jack's eyes, realization settling over her already moist eyes. It was as though she were hearing the news for the first time, as though she hadn't just witnessed the explosion herself. Violet felt Hurley's strong arms envelope her, squeezing him tight against his cushiony body. Violet quietly cried, while Aaron's cries filled the helicopter cabin, now that Sun's screaming had stopped. Kate was trying to soothe Aaron, and Violet clung to Hurley as though if she let go, he would be next. How many more people had to die?

"Lapidus!" Jack shouted, his voice sounding tired and full of grief. "Bring us to the island."

As the helicopter swerved, Sun settled into her seat, and began to cry again, shouting out "no, no, no!" Violet bit her lip as she thought about Jin, left behind. She thought of Claire, of Juliet, of Sawyer, all left behind.

It wasn't right; nobody should be left behind. Violet only hoped once they got back to the island, they could find some of their people, make amends.

No, there would never be amends for Jin's death, not in Sun's eyes.

And not in Violet's, not when it was her fault he was dead.

* * *

Sun's sobs began to die down as the helicopter moved smoothly back toward the island they called home.

"We'll be there in five minutes!" Lapidus shouted to his passengers. Violet swallowed, still leaning up against Hurley, who hadn't removed his arm. Bleary-eyed and exhausted, Violet forced herself to focus on the island, hope for something good to happen for once, hope they would find Claire, place little Aaron back in her arms. _Something_ good had to happen.

But it was then that a blinding light filled the sky. Violet squinted at first, and when she realized the light was growing brighter with every passing second, she lifted her hand, clamped her eyes shut when it was too much to bear.

"What is that?" Hurley shouted.

"Hold on!" Frank screamed as the light grew brighter and brighter, and a deafening hum reverberated all around them. Aaron began shrieking loudly as the light grew so bright, it felt as though it was blinding Violet even through her closed eyes!

And just as quickly as it started, it ended.

Silence.

The light was gone.

As Violet opened her eyes, allowed her eyesight to adjust, she tried to focus on something in the ocean, something solid to test out her vision.

That was when she realized the impossible.

The island was gone.

Violet blinked, and craned her neck in every direction, thinking maybe the helicopter had become dislodged in the midst of that blinding light, but to no avail. There was no island in any direction.

"What happened?" she asked, feeling panic lacing her voice. "Where's the island?" This was a mistake; she must have gotten disoriented. Someone had to see the island.

But suddenly, everybody was panicking.

"It's nowhere!"

"Do you see it?"

"There's nothing to see!"

"I gotta land this thing somewhere, folks, we're almost out of fuel again!" Lapidus shouted in the midst of the chaos inside the helicopter. Violet's heart hammered like a jackhammer in her chest; if there was nowhere to land the helicopter, what was going to happen?

"It's gotta be around here somewhere!" Desmond pointed out, leaning out of the helicopter to get a closer look.

"I don't know about you, pal, but all I see in every direction is water!" Lapidus shouted, sounding scared. "There's no island, and there's nowhere to land! This is it, folks! Get the life raft under the seats, because we're going down!"

Violet felt the helicopter lurch right along with her stomach, and she clawed the seat as she held her breath. Aaron was crying, and the helicopter's engine had grown louder and louder, which only amplified the atmosphere of fear that swam around the helicopter's cabin. Violet felt her chest tightening as Sayid and Desmond yanked out the life raft. Sayid quickly pulled the tab, and before the raft fully inflated, Sayid chucked it from the helicopter.

As Violet watched the black raft hurtle toward the water, the reality finally hit her like a ton of bricks. They were going to crash!

"Hold on, everyone!" Frank shouted, as the helicopter began its downward descent toward the ocean. Violet clenched her eyes tight, praying for survival, praying for _all_ of their survival! She held her breath-

-and the helicopter hit the ocean.

It felt like crashing into a brick wall, and Violet felt her whole body being thrashed around, hitting her head against the top of the copter, her arms reaching out to grab anything and everything.

Then, there was water everywhere.

Breath still held, Violet tried to stay calm, though her heart was clawing at her like a wild beast. She felt water slowly filter through her nose, sliding into her lungs, but she struggled as hard as she could to upright herself.

She wasn't in the helicopter anymore, that much she realized, even in the darkness of the murky, underwater. The impact must have thrown her right out of it. Panicking, as Violet was never much of a swimmer, she kicked as hard as she could, struggling to reach the surface as the cold water burned her open eyes, threatened to pull her under.

Her head broke the surface and she gasped for breath, ignoring the throb in her head, the blood on her arms. Treading water, Violet blinked to clear her eyesight and desperately searched for the rest of them, for the raft. She couldn't see anybody, _nobody_, not at first. She began to panic; was she the only one of them to survive?

Before she could register anything, Hurley's curly head popped out from the water a few feet from her.

"Hurley!" she shouted, her chest feeling as though it would collapse in on itself any moment now. Hurley bobbed toward her, breathing heavily.

"Violet!" he gasped, grabbing her arm. "Let's get to the raft."

Violet followed his line of vision and saw the black raft not far from where they were treading water. She saw Kate passing Aaron into the raft where Sun was reaching out for the baby. Sayid wasn't too far behind Kate. Sighing, Violet swam with Hurley as best as she could toward the raft, exhaustion settling into every part of her body. She felt like a rock, ready to sink to the bottom of the ocean.

They reached the raft, and Kate looked so relieved to see Violet approaching the raft.

"Come on, Vi, give me your hand!" Kate said as she reached out her hand, shivering. Violet, shivering herself, shakily reached up her hand, and Kate pulled her into the raft as Hurley pushed her in. Violet collapsed against the side of the raft, leaning into the inflatable cushion it provided, thankful for survival.

"You okay?" Kate asked, concerned. Violet could only nod. What else was there to say? Of _course_ she wasn't okay. _None_ of them were. They had just crashed into the ocean in a helicopter!

Hurley was beside her in seconds, and soon, Lapidus, Desmond and Jack crawled into the raft too, all collapsing from exhaustion.

That was everybody. All eight of them survived. The helicopter was gone, and sure, they were floating aimlessly in the middle of the ocean, but they were _alive!_

For now, that would have to be enough.


	41. Penny's Boat

**Chapter Forty One: Penny's Boat**

Sleep threatened like a vicious predator, but no matter how heavy her eyelids were, Violet would not sleep. Yes, the up-and-down movement of the safety raft was lulling at best, but she would not sleep. How could any of them sleep after what had happened?

Well, Aaron was asleep, but what did he know? He probably didn't even remember crashing in the ocean, didn't remember the ear-curdling screams from Sun when Jin died on that freighter. Violet envied the child; it must be nice to forget things as soon as they happened.

The raft had been silent for hours now; nobody had anything to say. They were alive, but everyone had been through the same traumatic ordeal. There was nothing left to say.

Night had fallen, darkness was all around them, only the moon provided a dim light for the survivors. Then, out of the silence, Hurley finally spoke.

"I can't believe he did it," he said softly, more to himself than anyone else, but he continued. "I can't believe Locke moved the island."

Violet's head was fuzzy, and everything felt suspended in some kind of alternate reality, but she was positive she heard Hurley wrong.

"What did you say?" she asked, her voice scratchy from the lack of water.

Then Hurley went into this long, crazy explanation about how he, Locke and Ben had travelled to this cabin in the middle of the woods to meet with Jacob (this guy Ben claimed was in charge of the island, and who had apparently chosen Locke to be the island's new protector, but nobody had ever really seen this guy). Anyway, Locke was apparently told by someone who spoke on Jacob's behalf that he was supposed to move the island, and the last time Hurley had seen Locke, he and Ben were on their way to the Orchid station to do just that; move the island.

"So you're telling me the reason why we couldn't find the island was because...Locke moved it?" Violet asked, puckering a brow. It sounded crazy, absolutely _crazy_!

But then again, this was the same island that inhabited polar bears and a psycho smoke monster. Moving the island suddenly didn't seem so impossible.

"Locke didn't move the island," Jack spoke up in an exhausted voice, his eyes rolling as he stared up at the starless sky. He sounded impatient and irritated. Who could blame him?

"Dude, one minute, the island was there and the next, it was, like, gone." Hurley raised an eyebrow in Jack's direction. "If you've got a better explanation, dude, I'd like to hear it."

Silence ensued again, as nobody else had the energy to engage in a debate surrounding whether or not a whole island was able to move by the will of one man. It hurt Violet's head just thinking about it. Sure, there was no other explanation, but the only explanation they seemed able to come up with was impossible for the mind to wrap itself around. Violet closed her eyes.

"You okay?" Kate whispered from her place beside Violet. Violet opened her eyes and met Kate's eyes. Kate looked so tired, and so much older with the black circles under her eyes, worry glazing her green eyes and a baby in her arms. Violet breathed out slowly, and managed a small nod, too exhausted to even find her voice. She peeled her eyes away from Kate and stared out at the black ocean. She'd had time to process everything that had happened since Sawyer pushed her on that copter hours ago, had time to process where they were, and what it meant. The island was gone; whether someone moved it, or it imploded in on itself like that hatch had, it didn't really matter. The point was, the island wasn't there anymore. It was gone.

That meant Katie was gone. That meant Claire, Juliet, Sawyer, and even Vincent were all gone. That was it, she'd never seen any of them again. The reality swallowed her up just like the blackness of ocean would swallow them all up if-

"Hey!" Frank suddenly shouted, jerking Violet out of her stupor. Shaking herself alert, she realized Frank was jumping up to his feet, rocking the raft a little. "There's a boat out here!"

Everyone sprang to life, jumping to their feet and looking in the direction Frank was pointing. Sure enough, a beacon of light was flashing not far from them. This was it, they were saved. No more floating around in the middle of a dangerous ocean!

They all started shouting, waving their arms back and forth as the boat drew nearer and nearer. It seemed as though they shouted for a long time before that spotlight settled upon the boat, and they heard shouting coming from the boat. They'd been seen; the boat was coming their way.

Violet was both relieved and terrified at the same time. She'd never wanted to be rescued, she never wanted to leave the island, but there had been no choice. Even rescue at this point beat floating around in a raft in the middle of the ocean with no food or water. Still, the uncertainty of what lay ahead scared her to death.

"We're gonna have to lie," Jack said suddenly as he stared ahead at the oncoming boat. Everyone stopped and met his eyes. "We're gonna have to lie about all of it."

"What are you talking about, Jack?" Kate asked, holding Aaron close as he began to stir.

"All of it, everything that happened on the island, we'll have to lie about it." Jack turned to face the lot of them. "Those men on the freighter came to the island to kill everyone on it. The guy who employed them planted a fake plane wreckage at the bottom of the ocean so the whole world would think we were dead."

Jack let that sink in for a few seconds before he continued.

"So what do you think would happen if we told the world that wasn't our plane? What do you think would happen if we told the real story." He lifted an eyebrow. "We'd be in danger. The people we left behind on that island would be in danger. If we want to protect them, we're gonna have to lie."

Everyone was silent, Violet felt her heart hammering in her chest as she realized the truth of Jack's words. The boat drew nearer and nearer. Kate shook her head.

"It won't work, Jack," she said, her voice shaking. "We'll never be able to pull it off."

He shot her a look that was less than reassuring.

"Just let me do the talking," he said quietly.

Violet didn't feel very assured, but Jack was the leader. Even if she had something to say about it, she was still only 14. Her voice would be outnumbered. Besides, she was too exhausted to care. Let Jack do the talking.

The boat floated up beside their raft, and a man leaned over the side and began shouting something in a foreign language. Violet shielded her eyes with her hand as the bright spotlight was upon them. The guy started shouting out a name, and Violet was sure she recognized the name.

Ms. Widmore.

Then from a higher level of the boat, a woman with a bounty of light brown hair peered over the railing, and shouted at the foreign guy to lower a rope.

And Desmond sprang to life.

"Penny?" he called, and before the rope ladder had even been lowered completely, Desmond dove from the raft to the ladder, climbing with all the energy he had. Violet could only watch with a growing curiosity as Desmond bolted all over the boat, that woman running down the steps toward Desmond.

And then they met, and embraced with such ferocity, Violet could only guess this was Penny, the woman he'd been in love with, and hadn't seen in three years. Somehow, she had found him. Violet couldn't help but feel a small smile cross her lips. At least someone was getting a happy ending.

The rope ladder had fully lowered now, and the guys on the boat were reaching down to help the survivors off the raft. They pulled Violet up first, and the rest of them followed right behind her. Violet wobbled for a moment, trying to catch her balance as she was on a more solid boat than the raft. Desmond began introducing the rest of them to Penny, as he held her close.

Violet could only nod when Desmond introduced her, even though Penny smiled at her widely, and the rest of them. As Desmond introduced Jack, Jack only shook Penny's hand with a look of absolute seriousness on his face.

"Hi Penny," he said gravely. "We need to talk."


	42. Jeremy Bentham's News

**Chapter Forty Two: Jeremy Bentham's News**

Violet was out on the deck of the boat, the hot sun beating down on the back of her neck, the cool sea breeze brushing her hair in and out of her face. She stared hard at the horizon, weighed down with the realization that a future full of lies was just beyond that line.

It had been a week since their raft was spotted by Penny's boat, and Violet hadn't spoken a word about that day, about the island, or about much of anything. She kept to herself for the most part, as the rest of them conversed day after day, constructing a story the public would believe. Violet listened, but did not contribute. It didn't matter what the lies were, they were still lies. She didn't want to talk about those they left behind, she didn't want to talk about Charles Widmore, or the danger he still posed, she didn't want to talk about any of it. No, she wanted to forget.

As Violet watched the horizon with a dull ache settling in her gut, she overheard bits and pieces of the conversation Sayid was having with Hurley. Hurley was still trying to pronounce the names of the island they were all supposed to have down, the one they were going to be sailing to within the next hour. Violet stared down at the clothes she was wearing. They had been new, given to her by Penny, but torn and rubbed in dirt to give the illusion of being marooned on an island for three months. That was the plan; they were all going to sail from Penny's boat for eight hours toward the island of Membata, where they would tell the story of Oceanic 815 crash-landing in the middle of the ocean, that a few of them made it to shore, survived there for three months until a raft was blown onto their beach, and they took it to row to Membata, where they would be rescued.

Jack told the story so well, Violet almost thought he believed it already. Well, let him believe it. Violet was still having nightmares about those they left behind.

She felt a presence beside her and she looked sideways to see Kate staring at her, that same worried look in her eyes she'd had all week. Violet had shut everyone out, and Kate knew it, but Violet didn't care. They all had to deal with this in their own way; this was Violet's way.

"Are you ready for this, Violet?" Kate asked quietly, rocking Aaron in her arms. Violet stared at her for a second, let her eyes fall on the sleeping baby. Her mind went to Claire, of how great a mum she was to that little boy, about how unfair it was that she was God only knew where while they had the baby. Yes, Kate planned to keep him, claim him as her own child to keep him safe, but it felt so wrong. Claire was the only one who should be holding that baby right now.

Violet gazed over Kate's shoulder and saw Jack and Sayid getting the raft settled in the ocean, dropping some water bottles into it, and a few rashions. Violet only sighed, averting Kate's concerned gaze.

"Let's just get this over with," she whispered as she pushed past Kate toward the edge of the boat where things were getting ready.

People began saying their goodbyes. Jack shook Desmond's hand, Sayid thanked Lapidus for everything. Violet managed a small nod for Desmond and Frank, and was about to jump into the raft when she felt a hand grab her wrist gently. Violet turned and saw it was Penny who'd caught her.

"Violet, sweetheart," Penny said quietly, still holding onto her wrist. "I know you've all been through a terrible ordeal, but don't keep it all to yourself, dear." Violet wasn't surprised; Kate wasn't the only one who'd noticed Violet's slow decline into isolation. Violet sighed, feeling tears stinging her eyes as she met Penny's gaze.

"If we're supposed to lie about everything that happened," Violet explained, "then I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"I understand you lot have got to lie, but don't forget," Penny turned and motioned toward Sayid, Hurley, Jack, Kate and Sun. "You've got these five who know the truth. You don't have to keep your feelings a secret from them."

Violet swallowed, looking down as she gently pried her hand away from Penny's. There was nothing left to say. Sure, those five knew the truth, those five knew what really happened, but Violet knew just from how they spoke this week, from the vacant expressions on their faces, all they wanted to do was forget. There was no talking to them about how she felt. They all wanted to forget; she should too.

"Alright," Jack said suddenly, motioning to lot of them. "Let's go home."

Violet let Penny hug her, let Desmond pat her shoulder, let Sayid hold her hand while she stepped into the raft, but it all felt so far away, like someone else was controlling her movements. She leaned up against the side of the raft as Frank cut the rope, and Jack and Sayid began paddling furiously with old boards they had found. Frank had said they'd make land in eight hours. Violet sighed, feeling tears stinging her eyes, refusing to look back toward the boat. Eight hours wasn't enough time to accept what was coming, it wasn't enough time to forget what she'd left behind, what she would have to lie about for the rest of her life. Eight hours wasn't enough time to grieve the loss, to figure out a way to pretend like it didn't hurt. But eight hours was all she had.

And in eight hours, the true nightmare would begin.

* * *

_2007_

_Violet sat on the sofa, staring at the clock on the wall, waiting for the familiar sound of tires on gravol, a sure sign she was home. Violet still couldn't believe it, couldn't believe Kate would drop everything in the middle of the night and leave to meet Jack, of all people! Yes, she'd figured it out. All she'd had to do was check the last call on Kate's cell phone as soon as she took off. They'd split up so long ago now - why was she running to him in the middle of the night? And why wouldn't she tell Violet? _

_It was late, nearing three in the morning, when Violet finally heard the tires on gravol. She stood, wanting Kate to know she'd been up all this time, worrying, wondering._

_Soon enough, Kate unlocked the front door and came inside, and as her eyes met Violet, Violet knew right away she'd been crying._

_"Violet," Kate said, closing the door behind her. "Uh, what are you doing up?"_

_"I heard you leave," Violet replied. "And I know you went to see Jack."_

_"How-"_

_"Your phone." Violet paused, crossing her arms. "Why, Kate? Why would you just take off in the middle of the night to see _Jack_ of all people?"_

_Kate looked so defeated, so worn out, but she managed to keep it together._

_"He's been calling me for days. He was so stoned, I could barely make out what he was trying to say," Kate replied._

_"What did he want?"_

_"To tell me Bentham was dead."_

_Bentham. Jeremy Bentham. _

_"He's dead?" Violet asked, her voice shaking._

_"Yeah," Kate replied. "Jack's pretty shaken by it."_

_Violet paused, knowing she shouldn't be bringing it up. It was no secret Kate was less than impressed about the mention of Jeremy Bentham, and she knew why._

_"Look Kate, I know Bentham came to see you the other day," she spat, gaining her a look of surprise from Kate._

_Kate puckered her brow, looking like a deer caught in the headlights._

_"I know you didn't want me to know, I heard you telling him to stay away from me, but I got home from soccer early that day." Violet sighed, realizing she should have told Kate sooner. "I heard him in the kitchen, talking to you. I know why he came."_

_Kate waited, sensing there was more. Violet exhaled._

_"He, uh, he came to see me anyway, even though you told him not to. The next day." Violet closed her eyes, still remembering what it was like to see him, rolling toward her in a wheelchair on the soccer field before practice had started. He looked just like he had on the island, exactly the same, except in a wheelchair. "He told me exactly what I heard him telling you. He saw Walt too, not too long ago. I called Walt after Bentham came to see me, and we talked about it."_

_"But you didn't talk to me," Kate said, her voice laced with accusation._

_"You didn't tell me Bentham came to see you either, Kate!" Violet shouted. "If you can keep secrets, so can I!"_

_Kate sighed, trying to gather some patience back, pressing her fingers to her temples._

_"What exactly did Bentham tell you, Violet?"_

_"Like I said, he told me what he told you, what he told everyone," Violet said. "He said we're supposed to go back."_

_"Violet, we're-"_

_"We're what, Kate? We're not supposed to go back? That's what you told Bentham, isn't it?" Violet yelled. "Well, what if he was right, Kate? What if Locke was right?"_

_"Don't say his name!"_

_"What if we are supposed to go back?" Violet asked, tears stinging her eyes as she fought to keep herself together. "Damn it, Kate, _nothing's_ been right since we left the island. Don't deny it, it's all wrong! Jack's all messed up, Sun's depressed, Hurley's in a mental institution, you're stuck in LA for the next ten years, and I want to be dead, and that's all I've wanted since we left that place! And the _only_ reason I haven't done anything is because I promised Juliet I wouldn't!" Violet shouted, tears streaming down her face without ceasing. _

_Kate was silent, her own tears falling now as she watched Violet falling apart at the seams, trying to fathom what she could possibly say to make it all right. Violet breathed out slowly._

_"It doesn't matter now, anyway, because we did leave the island," she said quietly. "But maybe Bentham was right. Maybe we weren't supposed to leave. Maybe we are supposed to go back. He said it was the only way to help them."_

_Kate finally stepped forward, brushed away a tear and stared Violet straight in the eye. No, the girl wouldn't want to hear it, but Kate had to put an end to this. It was bad enough hearing Jack in his stoned state how it was all of their destiny's to go back to the island, but she couldn't have Violet wishing for things that would never happen._

_"Violet," Kate said quietly. "We can't help them anymore. They may not be dead, but...but they're gone. We have to move on."_

_Violet stared at Kate, stared hard. She wasn't even going to consider it, she wasn't even going to acknowledge that Locke might be right, she wasn't going to acknowledge the danger the people they left behind might be in. She was just content to move on and pretend like it didn't happen._

_Well, maybe Kate was, but Violet was far from ready to accept that. _

_Biting her lip, she pushed past Kate and made for the front door, ignoring the sound of Kate yelling after her. Violet ran as fast as her feet would carry her into the dead of the night, knowing Kate wouldn't be chasing after her; she'd never leave Aaron in the house alone. Still, Violet ran, anger fuelling her as she thought of what Bentham had said, about them having to go back. That was all Violet wanted, it was all she'd ever wanted since they arrived three years ago. Nothing had been the same, nothing had been right. Nothing was like what it was on that island. Nothing would ever be the same._

_She slowed to a steady pace, heading down a side street, clutching herself for warmth, feeling the tears dying down as she continued on. She didn't know where she was going, only that she needed to be away from Kate, at least for now. She'd hear an earful when she returned, but that didn't matter; right now, she needed to be alone._

_Violet shivered as she noticed approaching headlights. Nobody else was on the road, being so late, and Violet had to shield her eyes as the headlights approached. She barely had time to realize the vehicle was slowing before the side door of the large cube van flew open, and three guys dressed from head to toe in black jumped her, shoved a hand over her mouth to silence her screams, pulled at her arms and legs, yanking her into the vehicle. She felt herself being pinned to the floor of the van as the thugs jumped in and slammed the door shut behind them. As the van began to move, and Violet continued to scream through the black gloved hand on her mouth, she felt a slight pinprick in her arm, and turned in just enough time to see someone withdraw a needle from her skin, and a voice somewhere in the distance that softly muffled, _

_"We got her,"_

_before everything went dark._

The End...to be continued.

A/N: That's the end of the fourth part of Violet's journey. Thanks all so much for your reviews, and I know I'm evil with this cliffhanger, but there will be a fifth installment of Violet to come in the next little while, you will just have to be patient. Keep an eye out though, it's coming :)


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